Celta Vigo 1-1 Lyon Player Ratings: Ten-Man Celta Held To A Draw As Endrick Saves The Day For Paulo Fonseca

Fans witnessed a classic European night as Olympique Lyonnais secured a crucial 1-1 draw against Spanish side Celta de Vigo. This Europa League clash was anything but straightforward. Celta looked promising early on and deservedly took the lead through a composed finish from Javi Rueda in the 25th minute.

The match completely flipped on its head in the second half. A moment of madness from Borja Iglesias saw him receive a second yellow card in the 55th minute, leaving his team to defend their slender lead with just ten men for over 35 minutes.

Lyon threw everything they had at the Celta goal, dominating possession and peppering the box with shots. However, they were met by an inspired Ionuț Radu in goal and a resolute defence that refused to buckle under pressure.

It was Endrick who equalized for the visitors in the 88th minute, after being teed up by Clinton Mata, as the Brazilian's shot squeezed past Radu, leaving the home fans frustrated after a brilliant display of football so far.

Check out the Celta Vigo vs Lyon Player Ratings.

Key Takeaways:

• Lyon maintained 71% possession despite being the visitors, but it was Celta who had a better xG of 0.97.
• Oscar Mingueza won the most ground duels in this game (6).
• Endrick and Noah Nartey were tied on the most key passes provided in this fixture (4).

Celta Vigo Player Ratings vs Lyon

Here are the Celta Vigo Player Ratings from the Celta Vigo vs Lyon Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Ionuț Radu - 8.0: An absolutely colossal performance from the man between the sticks and our highest-rated player. He made five crucial saves, including a spectacular one to deny Endrick in the second half. From our perspective, his command of the area, with four clearances and three punches, was the primary reason Celta kept a clean sheet. He was a calming presence when his team was down to ten men. A true match-winner.

Defenders

Carl Starfelt - 7.5: A defensive titan. What stood out to us were his astounding 15 clearances, a figure that speaks volumes about the pressure Celta faced. He was a rock at the back, winning his duels and blocking a shot. His pass accuracy of 97% was also impressive under the circumstances. He simply refused to let Lyon pass.

Marcos Alonso - 7.0: A steady and experienced head in the backline. He contributed with five crucial clearances and a couple of interceptions. He held his position well and didn't try anything too fancy, which was exactly what was needed. We noticed he was disciplined, staying back to help deal with the constant Lyon attacks.

Javi Rodríguez - 7.0: Solid as a rock. He won all of his contested duels, made a crucial tackle, and added four clearances to the team's defensive tally. He didn't put a foot wrong all game, maintaining a 90% pass accuracy which is excellent for a defender under siege. A really composed display from him.

Midfielders

Óscar Mingueza - 6.0: A mixed bag of a performance. He showed his creative side by creating a big chance and delivering two key passes. However, he also picked up a needless yellow card and was often caught out, being dribbled past twice. He was substituted just after the hour mark as his indiscipline became a risk.

Ilaix Moriba - 6.5: A combative display in the middle of the park. He worked tirelessly, winning four of his six duels and making three tackles. He did his job breaking up play but didn't offer much going forward. A functional performance that helped protect the back four after the red card.

Matías Vecino - 7.0: The quiet enforcer in midfield. He was incredibly tidy in possession with 92% pass accuracy and made his presence felt with two blocked shots and a couple of clearances. He didn't grab headlines, but his disciplined positioning was vital in screening the defence during Lyon's onslaught.

Javi Rueda - 7.5: The goalscoring hero. He took his chance brilliantly, showing great composure to score the only goal of the game. It was a massive contribution in his 45 minutes of play. His substitution at halftime was a surprise to us, but he had already made his mark on the game decisively.

Forwards

Iago Aspas - 6.0: A very quiet evening for the Celta captain. He struggled to get involved in the game, only managing 25 touches before being substituted at halftime. From our perspective, he looked a little off the pace and couldn't impose his usual quality on the proceedings. A forgettable outing.

Williot Swedberg - 7.5: Celta's creative spark. He provided the crucial assist for the goal with a great piece of play on the counter-attack. He was a constant nuisance, drawing three fouls and winning most of his duels. He was the one player who consistently looked like he could make something happen for the home side.

Borja Iglesias - 4.0: A disastrous performance. He missed a big chance to score and then let his team down massively by getting sent off for two yellow cards. His lack of discipline put his team under immense pressure for most of the second half. It was a moment of madness that could have cost his team dearly.

Substitutes

Ferran Jutglà - 6.0: Came on and had to do a lot of thankless running upfront. Worked hard but was isolated.

Sergio Carreira - 6.5: Replaced the goalscorer and provided fresh legs on the flank, doing his defensive duties diligently.

Mihailo Ristic - 6.5: Brought on to shore up the defence after the red card and he did his job effectively.

Pablo Durán - 6.0: Had little time to make an impact but helped see out the game.

Manager

C. Giráldez González - 8.0: We were impressed with his tactical flexibility. After the red card, he organized his team into a formidable defensive unit that Lyon could not break down. His substitutions were pragmatic and effective in securing the win. A great tactical masterclass in how to win with ten men.

Lyon Player Ratings vs Celta Vigo

Here are the Lyon Player Ratings from the Celta Vigo vs Lyon Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Dominik Greif - 6.5: He couldn't do much about the goal, which was a well-taken finish from close range. He made two saves to keep his team from falling further behind. A relatively quiet night otherwise, as most of the action was at the other end of the pitch.

Defenders

Nicolás Tagliafico - 6.0: A frustrating game for the fullback. He was tidy in possession but his final ball was lacking, with none of his four crosses finding their man. He also picked up a yellow card and didn't offer the attacking threat we expected, especially against ten men.

Moussa Niakhaté - 7.0: Very comfortable on the ball, completing 95% of his passes and often stepping into midfield. He was solid defensively but his real contribution was in building play from the back. However, he couldn't help his team find that killer final pass.

Clinton Mata - 7.0: He had over 100 touches, showing how involved he was in Lyon's attacks. He was strong in his duels and passed the ball well. But like many of his teammates, the end product was missing. Lots of involvement, but little to show for it.

Steeve Kango - 6.5: A very eventful and ultimately frustrating night for the defender. He was a menace going forward, even hitting the post with a powerful shot. However, he was also a liability, committing five fouls, getting a yellow card, and losing possession frequently. A mixed and chaotic performance.

Midfielders

Corentin Tolisso - 7.0: The captain was everywhere, dictating play with a massive 116 touches. He took on the shooting responsibility with five attempts but failed to truly test the keeper. From our perspective, he tried to carry the team but his final decisions let him down.

Tyler Morton - 7.5: Lyon's best player on the night in our opinion. He was the metronome in midfield, with an outstanding 94% pass accuracy from 98 passes. He created a big chance and was always looking to progress the ball. A classy and composed performance that deserved more.

Abner - 6.5: A solid but unspectacular performance. He kept possession well with 95% passing accuracy but offered very little penetration. He was safe and tidy, but Lyon needed more risk and creativity from him against a deep-lying defence.

Noah Nartey - 7.0: He was one of Lyon's main creative forces, creating four chances for his teammates. He looked dangerous and was always willing to try and unlock the Celta defence. However, he also lost the ball too often in promising situations.

Endrick - 8.5: A night of 'what ifs' for the young talent. He created four chances, including one big chance, and was a constant threat. But he was also wasteful, missing a big chance himself and failing to convert his opportunities, until the 88th minute when he equalized for his side.

Forwards

Roman Yaremchuk - 5.5: A really poor showing from the striker. He was anonymous for large parts of the game and missed a golden opportunity to equalize. He struggled to hold up the ball and was caught offside. He simply didn't provide the focal point his team needed.

Substitutes

Rémi Himbert - N/A: Came on but was unfortunately forced off with an injury just a few minutes later.

Adam Karabec - 6.0: Replaced the injured Himbert and tried to get involved, but couldn't find a way through the Celta wall.

Manager

P. Rodrigues Fonseca - 5.5: He'll be tearing his hair out after this one. His team had all the ball and all the chances, especially against ten men, but couldn't score. From our perspective, his side showed a lack of clinical edge and tactical ingenuity to break down a stubborn defence. A very frustrating night for him.

Man of the Match

Endrick was adjudged the man of the match in this UEL game.

Worst Performer

Celta's Borja Iglesias was the worst performer from the Celta vs Lyon match.