Rafa Benítez assured this Monday, during his presentation as Celta's new coach, that the possibility of leading the Galician team in its centenary season has been one of the reasons why he accepted the challenge proposed by Luis Campos. “For me it is a pride to be the coach of the Centennial. It was quite easy to convince me because when Luis presented the project to me, it was what he was looking for. I do not come to give lessons about anything, I come to make the club a little better, ”he declared during the press conference.
The Madrid coach understands that Celta has "a good team" to grow together, and expressed his desire that the U21 international Gabri Veiga, who is followed by the greats of European football, continue in the squad next season. “Gabri is an important player for this club, who comes from below with the positive that this implies. I am delighted that he continued with us for many years. I am counting on him, but no one knows what will happen in the future, ”he advanced.
Benítez, who has signed three seasons with the Galician entity, acknowledged that he likes "balance on and off the field", and avoided setting a long-term goal. “As a team and as a club we want to grow, but the signings can't be here anymore. We are going to sign a sufficient number of players so that the team grows and we do not suffer, but now I cannot say how many", commented the coach, who made it clear that he has not come to Celta "for money" because he rejected "many" financially superior offers .
Rafa Benítez's first project at the helm of Celta de Vigo was launched early this Monday with the medical tests on the players called by the Madrid coach, who in the afternoon will lead his first training session at the Afouteza sports city .
After 28 days of vacation, after celebrating their permanence in the last day of the last championship, the most exciting project in recent years, due to what the arrival of Benítez means, began with the traditional medical check-ups in the sports city, where the soccer players have undergone analytical, cardiological and stress tests.
The new Celta coach has summoned 25 footballers, among whom are not Javi Galán, who will undergo a medical examination with Atlético de Madrid today, nor Hugo Mallo, who has closed his stage as a celestial player after having played 449 official matches, 309 of them in Primera. The goalkeeper Rubén Blanco, the defenders Sergio Carreira and José Fontán and the attacker Miguel Baeza have returned to the discipline of Celta after completing their loan. However, none of them have guaranteed their continuity in the final squad for the 2023-24 academic year.
At the moment, and waiting for the signing of the under-21 international Manu Sánchez to become official, the Galician team has only made one signing, that of winger Carles Pérez, for which they have paid Roma to keep him at Balaídos after his good performance in the second part of the last championship.
