Celta de Vigo begin Europa League campaign at unbeaten Omonia Nicosia

Celta de Vigo kicked off their second consecutive UEFA Europa League campaign on 16 September 2026 with an away match against Cypriot champions Omonia Nicosia at the Neo GSP Stadium in Nicosia. The league phase fixture took place at 13:45 local time, with coverage on Disney+ and CazeTV.

Celta arrived in Cyprus winless in La Liga, having drawn three of their opening five matches and lost twice, accumulating just four points. Manager Claudio Giráldez faced a depleted squad, with Spanish striker Iago Aspas unavailable due to thigh injury sustained in the previous La Liga draw against Málaga. Concerns also surrounded Andrés Antón, Aleix Febas, Jones El-Abdellaoui, and Borja Iglesias. Despite domestic struggles, Celta held an unbeaten away record in their recent form and aimed to spark their season in European competition.

Omonia, managed by Norwegian coach Henning Berg, arrived unbeaten domestically and with a perfect home record in European play. The Cypriot champions qualified for the Europa League league phase after eliminating Belgian club Sint-Truiden 4-2 in aggregate during qualifying, following an earlier Champions League qualifying exit to Kazakhstan's Kairat Almaty. Key forward Muamer Tankovic and striker Loïs Diony, who scored four goals in qualifying, led Omonia's attack. However, the side showed inconsistency in recent form, recording two goalless draws alongside emphatic victories.

Celta's defensive vulnerabilities from set pieces and limited attacking output—three goals in five La Liga matches—stood in contrast to Omonia's physical strength in aerial duels. Hungarian referee Balázs Berke officiated the match. Multiple sports analysts favored Celta, citing their experience in La Liga's intensity and tactical discipline, though odds reflected uncertainty. The fixture marked Celta's return to continental competition and an early test for both teams in establishing momentum in the new Europa League format.