Celta Vigo manager Claudio Girardes has acknowledged his team’s lack of intensity as a key factor in their recent home loss to Levante, marking yet another defeat at the Balaídos stadium. The club has now fallen to Alavés, Oviedo, and Levante at home this spring, with the latest setback leaving them in a precarious position in the race for European football.
Speaking after the 3-2 defeat, Girardes expressed frustration with his side’s performance: “When you lower the tempo of your passing and try to conserve energy during certain phases of the game, opponents who are fighting for their own objectives can keep you pinned back in a low block for long periods. They scored two long-range goals—unusual in football—but we gave them too much time and space. After we took the lead, we didn’t have the energy to push on and kill the game. It becomes very difficult to recover when you fall behind later.”
The manager also addressed the team’s mentality, stating, “If you think you are better than an opponent that is actually on your level, you will lose. We must accept that our level is the same as Levante, Oviedo, Mallorca, and others. They have the same capacity to win matches as we do.”
Regarding Celta’s poor home record, Girardes took responsibility: “The blame lies with me. When we cannot get the points we deserve at home—with the support of our fans and a favorable environment—it’s my fault. Even after taking the lead, we fail to close out games. We never feel comfortable in tight matches. Our play becomes too frantic. The home statistics are disappointing, but we are still in a position where we can secure European qualification on our own merit in the final two matches. I hope we can do it.”
Looking ahead to the crucial fixtures against Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla, Girardes emphasized the need for a strong finish: “We must aim to take at least four points. We control our own destiny, and we need to turn the positive spells we showed today into consistent performances. Obviously, when there are many games, the mind tends to relax. But if you drop even one percent for a single minute, the entire match can turn. That is something we must learn, and it has cost us many points this season.”