West Ham round off their pre-season campaign with a home friendly against Spanish outfit Celta Vigo on Saturday afternoon.
The Irons are just a week away from kicking off their Premier League season against Aston Villa and will get another opportunity to sharpen their skills ahead of Julen Lopetegui’s first competitive game in charge.
Pre-season has perhaps been a little concerning for Hammers fans, though. After a draw with Ferencvaros and narrow win over National League Dagenham & Redbridge, West Ham travelled to the United States where they lost meetings with Wolves and Crystal Palace 3-1.
However, a recent spending spree means their squad will look significantly different by the opening day of the 2024/25 season.
Here is 90min’s guide to West Ham’s clash with Celta Vigo.
West Ham vs Celta Vigo H2H Record
West Ham and Celta Vigo have never clashed in a competitive fixture.
Current Form (all competitions)
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West Ham |
Celta Vigo |
|---|---|
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Crystal Palace 3-1 West Ham – 04/08/24 |
Luton 1-3 Celta Vigo – 03/08/24 |
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West Ham 1-3 Wolves – 28/07/24 |
Lille 3-1 Celta Vigo – 30/07/24 |
|
Dagenham & Redbridge 0-1 West Ham – 20/07/24 |
Gil Vicente 0-1 Celta Vigo – 26/07/24 |
|
Ferencvaros 2-2 West Ham – 15/07/24 |
Vizela 0-4 Celta Vigo – 20/07/24 |
|
Man City 3-1 West Ham – 19/05/24 |
Benfica 2-2 Ceta Vigo – 13/07/24 |
|
Country |
TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
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United Kingdom |
N/A |
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United States |
ESPN+, ESPN App |
|
Canada |
N/A |
West Ham have three new summer recruits who could be handed their first minutes this weekend. Striker Niclas Fullkrug, winger Crysencio Summerville and midfielder Guido Rodriguez are all in line to play some part.
Jarrod Bowen has returned to training and is yet to feature under Lopetegui after his Euro 2024 excursions, while the likes of Alphonse Areola, Lucas Paqueta and Edson Alvarez are all back after their international adventures, too.
West Ham predicted lineup vs Celta Vigo (4-3-3): Fabianski; Coufal, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson; Ward-Prowse, Soucek, Paqueta; Kudus, Antonio, Bowen.
Celta Vigo have added three players to Claudio Giraldez’s squad this summer, with striker Borja Iglesias and midfielder Ilaix Moriba joining on loan deals. Centre-back Unai Nunez has made his loan permanent.
There are a couple of former Premier League players fans may recognise in the Celta squad, including former Liverpool duo Javi Manquillo and Iago Aspas. Ex-Crystal Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita is also on their books.
Celta Vigo predicted lineup vs West Ham (4-3-3): Vidal; J. Rodriguez, Dominguez, Aidoo, Ristic; Swedberg, Beltran, De la Torre; Bamba, Aspas, Cervi.
With West Ham’s new signings set to feature against Celta Vigo, there will be a buzz around the London Stadium this Saturday. For many, it will be their first chance to watch Lopetegui’s new-look Hammers live.
Given the superior quality in the West Ham squad, they should earn a second pre-season victory in their final outing. With pretty much their entire squad available, Lopetegui should be able to conquer his compatriot Giraldez on the touchline.
Prediction: West Ham 3-1 Celta Vigo
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