In the 1996-1997 season Celta made a great
investment trying to avoid fighting for relagation, as the used to do for the
last 4 seasons. Management brought players like Richard Dutruel, Haim Revivo,
Russian rising star Alexander Mostovoi, and world cup winner Mazinho. Despite
all the economic efforts, the team, could not find a style of play, and avoid
relegation in the final week of the competition. As a fact, in a game against
Oviedo, and when Celta was losing, about ten minutes into the second half, Mostovoi
headed to the bench without being substituted, with the intention to leave the
pitch. Celta captain Patxi Salinas grabbed Mostovoi by the top, and made him
come back to the pitch. At that moment, no one could predict what Mostovoi was
going to mean for Celta, but as well that moment reflects the change of
mentality in that team, cause that’s when they hit the bottom.