“We could have won the match”

Celta Vigo coach Claudio Giraldez regretted that his team died “on the sidelines” at the Santiago Bernabeu after fighting until the end in a match against Real Madrid in which they were three goals behind in the second half and ended 3-2. “We died on the edge, it happened to us several times this season in this kind of scenario. We are building something very nice. Whenever I don't win, I always regret things, but I'm proud of what we did, of how we approached the game. There is a lot of merit in coming back from a 2-0 deficit in the Copa del Rey and, today, almost coming back from a 3-0 deficit. The team recovered and everyone who feels the Celta has to be proud of what they have done,” he said at a press conference.

“We never gave up. We can't. It has happened many times this year. The team knows they have to focus on football. The 1-0 was a blow because it was on their first chance. In the three games we've played against them this year, they've scored a goal into the top corner...,” he added. “We're going to play on every stage the same way. We have to have our way of playing branded in our head because it's something that makes us feel comfortable,” he added.

Claudio Giraldez also praised his young players: “We played with three players from the reserve team. I like the fact that people see this as something normal and it indicates that we are building something very nice”. He also explained his decision to substitute Iago Aspas, the captain, in the 75th minute: “I never think about resting anyone for another game. You make decisions. With Iago Aspas, we know that, in the last minutes, with space, he is decisive. I wish we had had five minutes earlier because we could have won the game”.

A defeat that keeps Celta de Vigo with 46 points and one more matchday in a European position. “We started this matchday mathematically saved, which was the objective. We are going to enjoy these four remaining matches no matter what happens. Everyone who sees us has to give value and an honorable mention to the season because the main objective has been achieved. Now, we have to fight with everything to be as high as possible. Our team can beat anyone and anyone can also beat us if we are not tight in some facet of the game,” he said.

Borja Iglesias said it was “a shame” the defeat, as they were “there” despite being three goals down in the second half. “It's a shame because, at 3-0, we were there, creating chances. We even had one from Pablo Duran that almost went in. A shame,” he said on ‘Movistar+’.

“In the first half, we had situations to hurt them, but we were not clinical in their box and they were,” he said.