Paco Herrera

[King Binny]

Remember him?

Just guided Celta Vigo back into La Liga.

Real Club Celta de Vigo will accompany Deportivo de La Coruña in being promoted to Spanish football’s First Division, following a goalless draw against Córdoba at the Estadio de Balaidos stadium, and so winning the point it needed.

While Deportivo de La Coruña sealed its promotion last week, Real Club Celta de Vigo completed the Galician football party in the last match, achieving the expected draw it needed to move up, having spent five seasons in the Second Division and after missing a great opportunity last year.

Its opponent for the last game, Córdoba, also needed just a point to compete in the promotion play-offs, and neither of the two teams put much effort into battling for the win.

The promotion 'play-off', whereby the third team to move up into the First Division will be decided, will be contested in the end by Real Valladolid, Alcorcón, Hércules and Córdoba. The first eliminations will be Córdoba-Valladolid and Hércules-Alcorcón. The return matches will be played at the stadiums of the teams listed second.

1 Deportivo-------42 29 4 9 76 45 91
2 Celta-------------42 26 7 9 83 37 85
3 Valladolid-------42 23 13 6 69 37 82
4 Alcorcón--------42 21 10 11 58 42 73
5 Hércules--------42 22 6 14 62 43 72
6 Córdoba---------42 20 11 11 52 43 71

 

[King Binny]

Celta Vigo coach Paco Herrera is looking forward to renewing hostilities with old foes after his side returned to La Liga with a 0-0 draw at home to Cordoba on Sunday.

With a draw also good enough for the visitors to qualify for the playoffs, the game was played at a pedestrian pace with neither side so much as registering a shot on target.

However, the anti-climactic end to the season did not mask Herrera's delight at taking the Galicians back into the top division after a five-year absence.

He told Marca: "It is a pleasure to coach a squad like this. It's true that this team is a group of friends, a group that unites to support each other.

"This season we have the fortune of having two or three veteran players that have contributed a lot.

"The fans deserve to see their team play against Real Madrid or Barcelona. Moreover, next year we will again have the derby against Deportivo La Coruna, so Galician football is the winner from our promotion.

"I will never forget this image. It has been amazing to see Balaidos full like this."

Deportivo had already secured their promotion last weekend but ensured they went up with a record points total of 91 with a 1-0 win at Villarreal B.

Valladolid, who could have gone up had results gone their way, lost 3-1 at home to Guadalajara to finish third with Hercules and Alcorcon filling the other two spots in the playoffs.

Cordoba will host Valladolid and Alcorcon travel to Hercules for the first legs of the playoff semi-finals on Wednesday.