Looking to end a four-match winless run (D3, L1) with a fast start away from home, Valencia were awarded an early penalty when Joseph Aidoo tripped Andre Almeida in the box, yet Pepelu could only strike the post with his seventh-minute spot-kick.
At the other end, Oscar Mingueza soon forced a save from Julen Agirrezabala before Aidoo saw his header from the resulting corner bounce wide.
Aidoo again came close to breaking the deadlock as he stretched to make contact at the back post following a short corner, but it didn’t take long for his side to find themselves ahead on the scoreline. With 33 minutes played, Borja Iglesias went down in the area under a challenge from Dimitri Foulquier, prompting referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea to award his second penalty of the half, which Iglesias dispatched for his 10th league goal of the season.
On top at the end of the first half, the signs were positive for a Celta side that had gone unbeaten against teams starting the round in the bottom nine (W3, D5).
Os Celestes were in control as the hour mark approached, tempting Carlos Corberan into two attacking changes, but just two minutes later, Valencia were sliced open by a precise Mingueza through ball, allowing first-half substitute Pablo Duran to race through and square the ball to Iglesias for a tap-in.
However, with 20 minutes to play, Los Che unexpectedly halved the deficit when a scrambled Marcos Alonso clearance fell to Pepelu, who guided his effort into the bottom corner from just outside the box.
That goal gave Valencia renewed hope until the 83rd minute, when Celta restored their two-goal advantage through substitute Jones El-Abdellaoui, who stole the ball off Mouctar Diakhaby on the halfway line before sprinting through on goal and slotting home.
El-Abdellaoui could have bagged another moments later on the counter, rounding Ionuț Radu near the centre circle, only to be closed down by covering defenders before he could get his shot off.
At this stage, chances kept coming for Celta, and they rounded off the scoring in stoppage time, with Hugo Alvarez slotting low past Agirrezabala, meaning they have lost just once in six LaLiga matches (W4, D1).
Meanwhile, Valencia’s poor record of just two away league wins in 2025 looks set to continue this year, leaving Corberan’s side in real danger, one point from safety in 17th, having won just three of their 18 league matches this season.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Borja Iglesias (Celta Vigo)
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