Maxi Gómez vs. Iago Aspas: From strike partners to opponents

Maxi Gómez and Iago Aspas are two of the top strikers in the Spanish top flight, and together they formed a successful tandem at Celta Vigo. The Uruguayan is now looking to keep up his scoring ways at Balaídos on the away team, as he goes solo with Valencia CF.

Last season they found the net on 34 occasions in LaLiga, with only FC Barcelona’s Leo Messi and Luis Suárez claiming more goals between them (57). Other duos such as Benzema & Bale at Real Madrid, Jorge Molina & Jaime Mata at Getafe, Antoine Griezmann & Alvaro Morata at Atletico Madrid and Ben Yedder & André Silva at Sevilla all fell short of the Galicia-based pair.

In their first year together, in 2017/18, Gómez contributed 18 goals, with Aspas providing 23. The combination made up a total of 41 of Celta’s 59 strikes -almost 70%.

The collaboration continued in the most recent campaign, with 65% of Celta’s goals emanating from the two strikers (34 of 53, with 13 for Gómez).

“Iago is a fantastic player, who supports his teammates a lot and transmits a lot to them,” the Valencia CF summer signing told VCF Media this week.

“We gave our all in every game and always tried to win. If not, then he got angry and I got angry. If we missed chances, then we both got angry.”

Gómez is currently on 31 goals from 75 games in the Spanish league. Opening his account on his debut would be the perfect way of getting his first for Valencia CF.