Real Club Celta de Vigo (phát âm tiếng Galicia: [reˈal ˈkluβ ˈθelta ðe ˈβiɣo]; Royal Club Celta de Vigo), commonly known as Celta Vigo or simply Celta, is a Spanish professional football club based in Vigo, Galicia, currently playing in La Liga. It was founded on 23 August 1923 following the merger of Real Vigo Sporting and Real Fortuna Football Club. Nicknamed Os Celestes (The Sky Blues), they play in sky blue shirts and socks along with white shorts. The club's home stadium is Balaídos, which seats 29,000 spectators. Celta's name is derived from the Celts who were once present in the region. Its main rival is fellow Galician club Deportivo de La Coruña, with whom it contests the Galician derby.
Celta have never won the league title nor Copa del Rey, although they have reached the final three times in the latter. One of the team's best seasons was 1970–71, when they finished unbeaten at home and were known as the "giant-killers". Celta came sixth that season and qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time. The club finished in their best-ever position of fourth in 2002–03, qualifying for the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League, where they were eliminated by Arsenal in the Round of 16.
On 3 June 2012, Celta returned to La Liga after a five-year absence.[2] In their first season back, they avoided relegation to the Segunda División on the final day after beating RCD Espanyol 1–0 to ensure a 17th-place finish. On 8 June 2013, Celta announced they had signed former Roma and then-Barcelona B manager Luis Enrique to lead the club for the 2013–14 season. Under Luis Enrique, Celta flourished, finishing ninth. After Luis Enrique's departure, his replacement, Eduardo Berizzo, led the team to eighth in La Liga during 2014–15, and the following season season saw Celta's highest finish in ten years, finishing in sixth position[3] and earning a place in the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League
Celta's original team strip consisted of a red shirt, black shorts and blue socks. This was later changed at an unknown date to the traditional sky blue and white strip, representative of the Galician flag.
Celta had the longest-running sponsorship deal in Spanish football, and one of the longest-running in the world, with the French automobile manufacturer Citroën from 1985 to 2016. The company established its plant within walking distance from Balaídos in 1958, and first sponsored the club's women's basketball team in 1980. In 2016, the sponsor was changed to the Galician brewery Estrella Galicia, which had advertised on the back of the shirts since 2011.[4] Their business deal with kit supplier, Umbro, was also one of the longest-running ones, from 1986 to 2010.[5]
Like many other Galician clubs, such as Compostela and Racing Ferrol, the club badge is based on the red cross of Saint James. On top of the cross sits a sky blue shield with two letter "Cs" (Club Celta). In 1923, Celta became one of several Spanish football clubs that were granted patronage by the Spanish crown and thus entitled to use Real (Royal) in their names and the royal crown on their badge. This right was granted to Celta by Alfonso XIII, and the club subsequently became known as Real Club Celta de Vigo. During the Spanish Second Republic (1931–1936), the title Real was removed from the club's name and the royal crown was taken off the club crest; however, it was returned under the Spanish State.
^“Primer equipo” (bằng tiếng Tây Ban Nha). Celta de Vigo. Bản gốc lưu trữ ngày 20 tháng 1 năm 2016. Truy cập ngày 1 tháng 2 năm 2016. Đã bỏ qua tham số không rõ |deadurl= (gợi ý |url-status=) (trợ giúp); Đã bỏ qua tham số không rõ |trans_title= (gợi ý |trans-title=) (trợ giúp)
^ ab“Celta Vigo” (bằng tiếng Anh). BDFutbol. Truy cập ngày 13 tháng 10 năm 2015. Đã bỏ qua tham số không rõ |trans_title= (gợi ý |trans-title=) (trợ giúp)
González Villar, Celso. Albores do fútbol Vigues (bằng tiếng Galician). Chú thích có tham số trống không rõ: |coauthors= (trợ giúp)Quản lý CS1: ngôn ngữ không rõ (liên kết)
Cros, Jaime (1973). El Celta y la Liga (bằng tiếng Tây Ban Nha). Murcia: APANDA de Artes Gráficas, S.A. ISBN84-605-5851-7. Chú thích có tham số trống không rõ: |coauthors= (trợ giúp)
Cros, Jaime (1974). Celta 74 (bằng tiếng Tây Ban Nha). Chú thích có tham số trống không rõ: |coauthors= (trợ giúp)
Álvarez, Eugenio (2004). A historia do Celta (1992–2004) (bằng tiếng Tây Ban Nha). Vigo. tr. 272. Chú thích có tham số trống không rõ: |coauthors= (trợ giúp)
Ball, Phil (2001). “Raining Champions”. Morbo: The Story of Spanish Football. Kings Lynn, England: WSC Books. tr. 165–181. ISBN0-9540134-6-8. Chú thích có tham số trống không rõ: |coauthors= (trợ giúp)