VIGO, Spain, September 13, 2026: Adrián Niño spent the opening weeks of Málaga’s return to La Liga watching from the sidelines. On Sunday at Balaídos, he needed only one decisive moment to change the story of a match Celta thought they had finally controlled.
Niño struck in the 83rd minute to cancel out Ferran Jutglà’s first-half opener and earn Málaga a 1-1 draw against Celta, leaving both clubs still searching for their first league victory of the 2026-27 season.
The equalizer carried considerably more meaning than another point. Niño had missed Málaga’s opening four league matches while recovering from a soleus injury and had only recently returned to full training. His first league appearance of the season ended with the goal that prevented Celta from turning their strongest attacking performance of the afternoon into three points.
For Celta, the frustration was familiar. They produced 18 shots, put five on target and led from the 41st minute, yet another match ended without the victory their territorial threat suggested was possible.
The result adds another chapter to a difficult opening stretch already documented across The Sports Encounter’s La Liga coverage.
Celta vs Málaga: Match at a Glance
| Competition | La Liga 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Matchday | 5 |
| Venue | Estadio ABANCA Balaídos, Vigo |
| Result | Celta 1-1 Málaga |
| Celta scorer | Ferran Jutglà, 41′ |
| Málaga scorer | Adrián Niño, 83′ |
| Celta shots | 18 |
| Málaga shots | 13 |
| Shots on target | Celta 5-2 Málaga |
| Possession | Celta 45% – 55% Málaga |
The fixture was part of La Liga’s fifth matchday and took place at Balaídos on September 13, as confirmed by the official La Liga match page.
Niño’s Return Became the Story Málaga Needed
Málaga arrived in Vigo with a problem that had followed them throughout their opening month back in Spain’s top flight.
They could compete. They could keep games close. Scoring enough goals to turn competitive performances into wins had been considerably harder.
Niño’s absence was part of that issue.
The 22-year-old forward suffered a soleus injury before the league season and missed Málaga’s opening four games. During the week leading into the Celta match, he progressively returned to full-team training and was expected to be available for limited minutes.
What Málaga needed from him was obvious.
They needed someone capable of finishing a chance when the structure of the game had stopped offering many.
In the 83rd minute, Niño supplied exactly that.
His equalizer transformed the final stretch of the match and turned what looked increasingly like another narrow defeat into a point Málaga could take back to Andalusia.
Before the trip, Málaga coach Juanfran Funes had described the visit to Vigo as the immediate priority, saying: “Now we go to Vigo and this is the most important.”
The victory still did not arrive. Niño’s return at least changed the emotional weight of the afternoon.
Jutglà Finally Gives Celta the Breakthrough
Celta had entered the match with their own scoring concerns.
Ferran Jutglà had featured regularly through the early weeks of the season without finding the net in La Liga.
That changed four minutes before halftime.
Jutglà struck in the 41st minute to give Celta the lead, rewarding a home side that had found more shooting opportunities despite Málaga enjoying the larger share of possession.
His goal appeared capable of providing the breakthrough Celta had been missing during their opening run.
The Galician side had already been held by Getafe in a match where Carl Starfelt rescued a point after Martín Satriano scored first.
Days earlier, Celta had fired 17 shots without scoring in a goalless draw against Real Sociedad.
The pattern was therefore familiar long before Málaga arrived.
Celta could reach dangerous areas. Converting enough of those situations remained the harder part.
Eighteen Shots, Five on Target and Still No Victory
The final statistics explain why the draw will bother Claudio Giráldez more than the possession numbers might suggest.
| Statistic | Celta | Málaga |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | 18 | 13 |
| Shots on target | 5 | 2 |
| Possession | 45% | 55% |
| Passes | 442 | 555 |
| Pass accuracy | 90% | 89% |
| Fouls | 10 | 10 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 1 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
| Offsides | 6 | 0 |
| Corners | 1 | 5 |
Málaga completed 555 passes and controlled 55% of possession, but Celta generated five shots on target compared with only two from the visitors.
That contrast matters.
The home side did not lose control because Málaga suddenly dominated chance creation. Celta failed to turn their attacking volume into a second goal while the match remained vulnerable to one opposition moment.
Niño provided it.
Six Celta offsides also point toward another recurring issue. Their attacking players regularly attempted to stretch Málaga’s defensive line, but several promising movements ended before the final action could develop.
Celta’s Season Is Becoming a Collection of Almosts
There is a difference between playing poorly and repeatedly failing to turn reasonable performances into wins.
Celta currently sit much closer to the second category.
Their early season has already included stretches of control, strong shooting numbers and periods where Giráldez’s system has functioned as intended.
Results have refused to follow at the same pace.
The warning signs first appeared during the opening weeks, including a home defeat covered in TSE’s early-season La Liga roundup featuring Celta’s struggles.
The draws against Real Sociedad and Getafe then reinforced the same theme.
Against Málaga, Celta finally had a lead to protect.
They held it for more than 40 minutes.
That still was not enough.
Málaga Had More of the Ball but Needed One Forward to Make It Matter
Málaga’s 55% possession and 555 completed-pass attempts gave them a degree of control that newly promoted teams do not always enjoy away from home.
The problem remained the final action.
Only two of their 13 attempts reached the target.
For long stretches, Celta looked more likely to score despite seeing less of the ball.
That is why Niño’s return matters beyond the point gained in Vigo.
Málaga spent much of the opening month without one of the forwards who contributed significantly to their promotion campaign. Niño scored 11 league goals during 2025-26 and established himself as one of the team’s most reliable finishing options.
His return gives Funes something Málaga have badly needed: another genuine penalty-area threat.
The Timing of Niño’s Goal Could Matter as Much as the Goal Itself
Málaga now face a demanding sequence with Villarreal and Getafe coming quickly after the visit to Vigo.
The club’s official schedule has Málaga hosting Villarreal on September 17 before traveling to Getafe on September 20.
Niño returning before that stretch changes Funes’ attacking options immediately.
There is also a psychological benefit.
A striker returning from injury usually needs minutes before rhythm follows. Niño has already removed one part of that equation by scoring in his first league appearance of the season.
Málaga still need their first victory.
They now have one more player capable of producing it.
Celta Must Reset Quickly Before Europe
Celta have even less time to process another frustrating league result.
The Galicians begin their Europa League campaign away to Omonia on September 16 before returning to domestic action against Racing three days later, according to the schedule published through Celta’s official club platform.
Managing that transition could become one of Giráldez’s first major challenges of the season.
Celta qualified for Europe after finishing sixth last season, raising expectations around a squad capable of combining possession, pressing and attacking movement.
The domestic start has been less convincing.
Europe now brings another layer of physical and tactical demand before Celta have solved the finishing problem affecting their league campaign.
A Draw That Feels Different for Each Team
Both clubs received one point.
The emotional value is not the same.
Celta were ahead at home with seven minutes of normal time remaining. They had produced more shots, more shots on target and enough opportunities to finish the match before Niño appeared.
Málaga were losing away from home with a striker only just returning from injury.
One team will look at the result and see another victory allowed to escape.
The other can look at it as evidence that an important attacking weapon has returned at exactly the right moment.
La Liga’s Early Season Is Already Producing a Wider Pattern
Celta and Málaga are hardly alone in discovering how small the margins can be during the opening weeks.
TSE’s latest La Liga Saturday roundup showed the different pressures already developing across the division, while Sevilla’s narrow win over Valencia demonstrated how a single moment can separate teams in tight matches.
The previous weekend produced similar contrasts. Barcelona’s attacking surge and Betis’ statement victory over Real Madrid sat alongside games decided by much smaller margins.
Earlier, Barcelona had also produced one of the season’s most explosive performances when Raphinha and Lamine Yamal overwhelmed Rayo Vallecano.
Celta and Málaga currently occupy a very different part of that landscape.
Their immediate battle is not about the title race.
It is about converting competitive football into wins before an uncomfortable start becomes something more difficult to escape.
What This Result Means
Celta remain winless despite again creating enough opportunities to believe a breakthrough is close.
Málaga also continue waiting for their first league victory, but Niño’s return gives the promoted side a tangible reason for optimism.
There is still plenty of season ahead.
The concern for Celta is how often that sentence has already been accompanied by the same explanation: chances created, control established, result left unfinished.
Málaga’s version is different.
They have been waiting for attacking reinforcements from within their own squad.
One of the most important just announced his return with an 83rd-minute equalizer.
For more Spanish soccer coverage, match reports and analysis, visit The Sports Encounter’s soccer section and revisit our opening-weekend La Liga analysis for the wider context behind the 2026-27 campaign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who scored in Celta vs Málaga?
Ferran Jutglà scored for Celta in the 41st minute before Adrián Niño equalized for Málaga in the 83rd minute.
What was the final result between Celta and Málaga?
Celta and Málaga drew 1-1 at Estadio ABANCA Balaídos in La Liga.
Why was Adrián Niño’s goal significant?
Niño had missed Málaga’s opening four league matches while recovering from a soleus injury. He scored on his return to league action.
How many shots did Celta have?
Celta recorded 18 shots, with five on target.
How many shots did Málaga have?
Málaga had 13 attempts and placed two on target.
Which team had more possession?
Málaga held 55% possession compared with Celta’s 45%.
Are Celta still without a La Liga win?
Yes. The draw against Málaga left Celta still searching for their first league victory of the 2026-27 season.
Are Málaga still winless?
Yes. Málaga also remain without a victory following their return to La Liga.
Who do Málaga play next?
Málaga host Villarreal on September 17 before visiting Getafe on September 20.
What is next for Celta?
Celta turn to Europa League action against Omonia before returning to La Liga competition.
