In Vigo, Gabri Veiga dreams of a European final: FC Porto v Celta | OneFootball

Gabri Veiga has already become one of FC Porto’s standout figures less than six months after being signed from Al-Ahli Jeddah for a fee in the region of €15 million for 90% of his economic rights, a figure that could still rise to €19 million depending on sporting objectives being met.

The 23-year-old midfielder had already established himself under Argentine coach Martín Anselmi at the Club World Cup, and he has carried that good form into the period in which Italian Francesco Farioli has been leading the team, recording, so far, five goals and nine assists in 39 matches in the 2025/26 season.

This real ‘explosion’ has been closely followed in Spain by those who know the player best, such as Xosé Giraldez, a family friend, who told Monday’s edition of newspaper O Jogo: “Playing for such a powerful team, in a special stadium like the Dragão... I think Gabri has everything he needs to grow at FC Porto”.

“He has a lot of future ahead of him and a great chance of enjoying wide-ranging success at an ideal club. I’m sorry he isn’t at Celta, but I also go to Porto on business, it’s only a few kilometres away. Curiously, I was the only one in the family who missed FC Porto-Nice, which my father, my son and my brother attended. By luck or by coincidence, our Gabri scored two goals. They all came back happy,” he said.

An opinion shared by Ricardo García, the player’s former teacher: “He is doing very well, a starter, becoming more and more influential and scoring goals. Anyone who has crossed paths with him, anyone from Porriño, always keeps an eye on the matches to see whether he scores or gets an assist, and waits for FC Porto’s highlights. I’ve seen him several times back home since he moved to Portugal. He regularly visits his family and also comes to watch Celta. He was there for one match, I think the home defeat to Espanyol”.

“I still believe in a Europa League final between FC Porto and Celta de Vigo”

Born in Porriño, Gabri Veiga took his first steps in football with Celta de Vigo, the club where he quickly showed enough talent to reach the top. Now, the prospect of a Europa League final is even beginning to appear on the horizon, with him wearing the FC Porto shirt against the badge where he completed his development.

“I hope he continues this progress. I really want to see him in the national team and it would be fantastic if he went to the World Cup! It’s complicated, because there is an almost settled group and they are all playing well, but I still believe in a Europa League final between FC Porto and Celta,” Ricardo García told the same publication.

Rafael Prieto, also a former teacher of the creative midfielder, admitted that seeing that scenario would be a positive thing: “He would be playing against Celta, but we could enjoy the reunion. It is the club where he started, as a child, and took his first steps, leading to the career he has today at one of Portugal’s biggest clubs”.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.