Liverpool spell made Iago Aspas a meme in England, but exceptional Celta Vigo star is now LaLiga’s most important player

Liverpool spell made Iago Aspas a meme in England, but exceptional Celta Vigo star is now LaLiga’s most important player
For some people outside of Spain, Iago Aspas remains nothing more than a meme, a GIF of a badly taken corner from five years ago.A pity, because as he reaches the twilight of his career, the Galician is one of those few players it is always worth changing the channel to watch.4

Aspas is much, much more than the meme English football fans remember him as

He may just be LaLigas most important player at present; so pivotal, in fact, that he’s almost single-handedly deciding the outcome of the Spanish relegation battle.Aspas is exceptional. Exceptional enough that, despite playing for a team that has been scrapping it out around the drop zone since the turn of the year, and despite missing 11 of 34 rounds of fixtures, he is on course to finish as the top Spanish goalscorer in LaLiga for the third consecutive year.If he does win the Trofeo Zarra once again, he will become only the second player to do so more than twice in their career.The other is David Villa. Not exactly bad company to keep.4

Aspas has scored 16 league goals this season, despite missing 11 games

It is not an exaggeration to say that there are two Celtas these days. The Celta with Iago and the one without.The good Celta… and the awful Celta.When Aspas first got injured back on December 22, his goals and assists had propelled them to 10th in the table. Without him, during Aspas’ absence, Celta went on to win only one of five matches, tumbling all the way down to 18th.When he suffered a further setback things got truly catastrophic, and they couldnt win a single match in five further rounds.

If you are feeling down remember one of the greatest corners from our last title race all HAIL KING ASPAS #LFC #YNWA #LiverpoolFC pic.twitter.com/oYLzcbYBth— Amin Dib (@Aymoss_LFC) April 20, 2019

There was an element of self-fulfilling prophecy to it all without their talisman on the pitch, it felt like Celta had accepted defeat before a ball was kicked.Balaidos seemed to be waiting for the talisman to return, the league season apparently on pause.Except it wasnt as the matches ran down, the chances of escaping the drop did too.No one would envy the pressure on the 31-year-olds shoulders when he finally made his comeback against Villarreal at the end of March, but the evidence of how he reacted to it was conclusive. Celta won for the first time in six matches. Aspas scored his teams first and then the winner late in the game, before coming off to rest, his job done. Aspas breaking down into tears as he took his place on the bench is perhaps the most gripping image of the Spanish season.Special players dont just give sides a momentary lift, they continue to deliver, and Aspas’ return wasnt just a one-off bounce.In their playmakers first three games back, Celta picked up seven points from an available nine.When he missed a trip to Atltico Madrid through suspension, the Galicians lost.Of course.When he returned in a relegation six-pointer against Girona, they won.Of course.And he scored. And provided an assist. As day follows night, when Aspas is playing, Celta perform.When Celta took to the pitch in Barcelona against Espanyol on Wednesday night they did so not in the relegation zone, but aware that with four rounds to go and only a one-point cushion, taking something from the clash was absolutely vital.

LIVE ON talkSPORT

talkSPORT is your home of live football! Here's what's coming up on talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2...

• Sheffield United vs Ipswich (Saturday, 5:15pm) talkSPORT 2
• Brighton vs Newcastle (Saturday, 5:30pm) talkSPORT
• Norwich vs Blackburn (Saturday, 7:30pm) talkSPORT 2
• Leeds United vs Aston Villa (Sunday, 12pm) talkSPORT 2
• Coventry vs Shrewsbury (Sunday, 3pm) talkSPORT 2

From the whistle the game plan was clear, the same as it always is now: get the ball to the number 10. A good plan it is too. Recent performances have created a fear around Aspas that is rare for players outside of the top clubs. The first ball that almost fell to him in the box caused a collective gasp from the Espanyol support.Seconds later he was dribbling, surging into the area again and drawing opponents before teeing up a teammate for a shot. A drop of a shoulder, a few step-overs to beat his man in a standing sprint, and he was off once more. Celta looked like they had signed an entire new team, so huge is the impact of one man on their confidence and emotional intelligence.‘Bloody Iago Aspas,’ muttered an Espanyol fan walking past the press area at half-time.4

Aspas has missed 11 matches this season – Celta have lost nine of them

The home team had drawn first blood through Wu Lei, but no one had any doubts over who could turn the game on its head. A guy who doesnt switch off for a second.The second half was a 20-minute rope-a-dope, Espanyol pounding away without success before Celtas own heavyweight sprung his trap. When a ball broke deep in the away half, wily old Aspas was alert. Off he went, driving up the pitch with a hunger more befitting of a youth player than a club legend who has nothing to prove.Attacking midfielder Oscar Melendo had been left to do the marking as Aspas cut in from the wing. The outcome was inevitable. Sucking in his man with his eyes, the 31-year-old opened up just enough space to pick out Maxi Gmez, unmarked, for the equaliser.

The remarkable feats of Iago Aspas

Aspas returned from a calf injury on March 30, and he's scored or assisted at least one goal in each of the five matches he has played since

• Celta 3-2 Villarreal (two goals)
• Huesca 3-3 Celta (one goal, two assists)
• Celta 3-1 Sociedad (two goals)
• Celta 2-1 Girona (one goal, one assist)
• Espanyol 1-1 Celta (one assist)

Maxi grinned from ear to ear, pointing knowingly at his accomplice; the striker had stopped scoring for two months without his companion around, but now hes back, with three in six.When Aspas was finally withdrawn in injury time it was to a resounding chorus of whistles and boos from the RCDE Stadium.It was the most noise the home fans had made all night; a true sign Aspas had really gotten under their skin, ruined their evening just as he did for Girona, Real Sociedad, Huesca and Villarreal.4

Espanyol became Aspas’ latest victim on Wednesday

The attackers personal tally now stands at six goals and five assists in five matches.In the middle of Celtas lowest moment last winter, Aspas rejected an offer to triple his salary and go to China. This month he instead extended his contract with Celta until 2023.Already an icon, perhaps their greatest ever player, there will inevitably be a statue of him outside of Balaidos one day.If Aspas can single-handedly save Celta from the drop this year, they may as well start building it now.

---

Everton are working with anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out to investigate allegedly racist content in a song about Colombian defender Yerry Mina. The Toffees say they are aware of a video
Everton and Kick It Out investigate fans' chant about Yerry

---

With the help of Opta, we round up the best facts and figures from the Premier League on Boxing Day Newcastle United 0-1 Everton. Everton have lost just one of their last eight Premier League
2015-16 Liverpool F.C. season - Wikipedia

---

talkSPORT's Tom Rennie and David Walker look ahead to a packed weekend of Premier League and FA Cup action Duration: 00:51:57 Listen as Ryan Mason tells talkSPORT he believes Harry Kane will stay at Tottenham and win trophies
Fantasy Premier League tips: Transfer advice - talksport.com

---

FA Cup final 2019: Manchester City vs Watford kick-off time, how to watch on TV and online, team news, expected line-ups and odds Pep Guardiola's side look to snare their third trophy of the campaign
FA Cup final, Man City vs Watford LIVE result: Latest

---

Rangers vs Celtic: Sir Rod Stewart calls on Old Firm rivals to 'stop the bitterness' amid guard of honour controversySource: Talk SportPublished on 2019-05-10
LIVE Rod Stewart News | One News Page

---

Arsenal are hoping to complete a deal for Barcelona ace Denis Suarez Chelsea are closing in on Gonzalo Higuain as Alvaro Morata looks set to leave Manchester United are prepared to wait until the summer to sign Kalidou Koulibaly Newcastle's deal for Miguel Almiron is at risk PREMIER LEAGUE DONE DEALS: ALL THE COMPLETED TRANSFERS […]

---

3 reasons why both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could end up with over 700 goals in their club careers Sportskeeda. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are two of the finest footballers of all time, and both of them have won a plethora of trophies in their glittering careers.
Messi' - News Search - AIOIS - All-in-one Internet Search

---

'We deserve it' - Milner seeking Liverpool redemption in Champions League final The Anfield midfielder is determined not end the season empty-handed after being pipped to the Premier League title
Liverpool 'deserve' to beat Tottenham in Champions League

---

Watford's new home kit? Leaked images of rumoured half and

---

Leeds United Carlos Corberan might have just given Leeds United fans a big hint for Aston Villa clash. Leeds United senior stars Gaetano Berardi and Kalvin Phillips featured for the under-23s tonight.
'I am very sad' What Leeds United, Aston Villa and other

---

Manchester United have reportedly moved ahead of the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester City to sign James Maddison this summer. The Leicester midfielder enjoyed a very productive first season in the Premier League, creating 100 chances for team-mates in 2018/19, more than any other player.
Ian Rush: Europa League could derail Liverpool's Premier

---

champions league live streaming free justin tv
premier league live streaming batman
canadian premier league live streaming
uefa champions league live streaming youtube
live streaming bein sport 3 premier league hd
australia brisbane premier league live streaming
football live streaming i
afghanistan premier league live streaming youtube
champions league live streaming websites
football live streaming europe
football live streaming malaysia
inter vs tottenham champions league live streaming
mumbai premier league 2019 live streaming
watch premier league live streaming online free
champions league live streaming ten sports
premier league live streaming free manchester united
best champions league live streaming
champions league draw 2018 live streaming
live streaming arsenal vs psg champions league
football live streaming apps for iphone
uefa champions league live streaming reddit
champions league live stream konferenz
premier league live stream everton
champions league live streaming barcelona vs liverpool
champions league 2018 streaming live gratuit
liverpool vs man city champions league live streaming
premier league of darts live streaming
live streaming champions league yalla shoot
football live streaming barcelona
uefa champions league live streaming free online reddit
russian premier league live streaming
barcelona vs chelsea champions league live streaming
champions league live stream kijken
premier league live streaming cricfree
champions league live streaming free english
live premier league live streaming
reddit premier league live streaming
champions league final live streaming channels
champions league live streaming ronaldo
premier league live streaming ronaldo 7
sri lanka premier league live streaming
tamil nadu premier league live match streaming
premier league live audio streaming
champions league live streaming in pakistan
live uefa champions league live streaming
football live streaming channels in pakistan
afghanistan premier league live streaming channel name
champions league madrid vs liverpool live streaming
live streaming premier league football p2p
spanish premier league live streaming
live streaming premier league liverpool vs burnley
international champions league live streaming
premier league live stream deutsch
manchester united vs juventus champions league live streaming
live streaming premier league gratis
football live streaming free app
football live streaming sites 2019
champions league live stream unblocked
football live streaming india vs kenya
barcelona champions league live streaming
champions league qualification live streaming
premier league live stream quora
premier league live streaming totalsportek
t20 champions league live streaming
juventus tottenham champions league live streaming
premier league live stream free youtube
champions league live streaming english
champions league final live streaming ten sports
ehf champions league live streaming
match premier league live streaming
football live streaming mamahd
champions league live stream juventus manchester united
champions league highlights live streaming
uefa champions league live streaming barcelona vs psg
watch uefa champions league live streaming sportek
football live streaming bundesliga
maharashtra premier league live streaming
premier league live stream chromecast
youtube champions league live streaming
champions league today's match live streaming
football live streaming star sports
paok aek champions league live streaming
premier league live stream p2p
liverpool man city champions league live streaming
live streaming premier league hari ini
karnataka premier league live streaming
english premier league liverpool vs chelsea live streaming
champions league live streaming facebook
barcelona liverpool champions league live streaming
barclays premier league live streaming online free
football live streaming espn
best premier league live streaming sites
champions league streaming live gratis
ajax champions league live streaming
bangladesh premier league live streaming hotstar
football live streaming brazil
online premier league live streaming
chelsea vs barcelona champions league live streaming
premier league live stream manchester united vs southampton
premier league live stream deutschland
calcutta premier league live streaming
live champions league live streaming
liverpool psg champions league live streaming
live football streaming juventus vs real madrid
afghanistan premier league live streaming in india
premier league live streaming channels
hockey champions league live streaming
football live streaming websites free
football live streaming tv apk
pokhara premier league live streaming
champions league live streaming now
espn champions league live streaming
football live streaming free best sites
english premier league live streaming ronaldo
manchester barcelona champions league live streaming
premier league live stream liverpool vs crystal palace
aek paok champions league live streaming
premier league live streaming sportek
football live streaming england vs colombia
canada premier league live streaming in india
live streaming champions league kostenlos
champions league final live streaming india
live streaming champions league manchester city
#transfers #espndeportes #Cr7 #nike #bundesliga #Neymar #courtois #beinsports #oshawa #likeforlike #halamadrid #amsterdam #Cristiano #manutd #telemundodeportes #RealMadrid #liverpool #realmadrid #england #Instagood #UCL #fifa #BayernMunchen #sports #news #sanchez #mufc #salah #likes4likes #juventus #Ronaldo #amrabat #ronaldo #Casillas #beinsportsusa #Like4Like #CristianoRonaldo #hakimziyech #degea #Ajax #manchestercity #Soccer #meme #durhamregion #Football #realmadrid #united #433 #Mancity #pogba #europaleague #futbolmexicano #ajax #ajaxamsterdam #tottenham #footy #zinedinezidane #skysports #goals #pickering #Futbol #fcbarcelona #messi #univisiondeportes #championsleague #likeforlikes