Celta Vigo's sporting director, Marco Garces, has said the Europa League isn't about success for the club as they prepare to take on Celtic on Thursday night. Celta arrive in Glasgow on the back of back-to-back defeats to start their European campaign, much like their hosts.
But the Spanish club have put up a good fight, leading Juventus last time out before ultimately losing their lead and then conceding a stoppage time winner. That was a tough result to take, and the Spanish West Coast side now know they need to start picking up points if they want to progress.
They will be the favourites for Thursday night's clash, currently eighth in LaLiga but their sporting director, Garces, is well aware that Celta are outgunned in the context of the whole competition, so he wants the fans to enjoy the trips more than anything else.
Garces told Metropolitano: “Europe, I’m telling you, it’s all about enjoying the experience.
“Of course, we want to win and we want to go all out, but not to the point of suffering. We already have the league to suffer in.”
He added on the travelling support the club will have in Glasgow: “It’s amazing, the support and following we always receive. We can only thank them for their incredible efforts.”
Celta approach to be admired
You have to respect the humility of Celta, who qualified for this competition by finishing in the top seven of one of the best leagues in Europe. Still, they know they are unlikely to win, so they are intent on enjoying the experience.
There could be something to be learned by Celtic in that. The Bhoys don't have a chance of winning this competition, either, but perhaps because of success in Europe in the past, there is a sense of expectation around what can be achieved.
Celtic may be a bigger club than Celta, but they do not have the standard of squad of the Spanish club, and yet they are competing with a much greater sense of expectation.
You have to wonder whether that hinders the club in Europe, especially when the squad is not of the standard necessary to put a European run together, as is currently the case.
There is a bigger question around spending and recruitment, and whether this board should do a better job of preparing the team to live up to those expectations, but as the saying goes, you are where you are, and Celtic are not currently good enough to compete well at this level.
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