Celta de Vigo

Celta Vigo forward Fedor Smolov ignored a lockdown order and left Spain to return to Russia for his fiancee Maria Yumasheva's 18th birthday party, according to The Guardian. 

He was the second Celta Vigo player to defy the quarantine order after forward Pione Sisto drove home to Denmark last week. 

"The player repeatedly requested permission to travel to Russia for a personal matter," a club source told AS regarding the 30-year-old Smolov (via The Guardian). "The club could not give it to him because La Liga did not authorize it, but he promptly reported his movements and left with the commitment to return once he solved his personal affairs."

Smolov said last week he understood he wouldn't be able to visit his fiancee, Yumasheva—who is the granddaughter of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin—due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pair were engaged in January.

"I get along well, nothing new can happen," he said. "I don't think about anything and I accept the situation."

Apparently not. Smolov is now reportedly facing a fine upon his return, per The Guardian.

The forward has made five starts for Celta Vigo this season, with one goal. He joined the club on loan in late January. 

Denis Suarez has put his failed loan spell with Arsenal behind him and officially left Barcelona on a permanent basis to join Celta Vigo.

Suarez, who began his career with Celta, rejoined the club on a four-year contract on Sunday. The deal was announced on Celta's official Twitter account (h/t Sport).

Barca are set to receive "12.9 million euros, plus 3.1 million in variables," per Sport. It's a happy resolution for a talented player who has struggled for playing time since first moving to the Camp Nou back in 2013.

A lack of minutes led to Suarez being loaned to the Gunners during the January transfer window. It looked like a smart move for all parties.

Arsenal needed more strength in depth in midfield and Suarez was reuniting with head coach Unai Emery. The two had worked together when Suarez moved to Sevilla on loan for the 2014/15 season, a campaign that ended with the club winning the UEFA Europa League.

Any hope of rekindling similar magic quickly disappeared, with Suarez bemoaning his brief time in north London. He recently told Cadena Ser Radio (h/t Sid Lowe of The Guardian): "I don't think I was even at 50 percent. After 15 days of being at Arsenal, I wasn't right. From the 16th I wasn't even at 50 percent."

Ultimately, Suarez made a mere six appearances, all as a substitute, for the Gunners. He didn't manage to register a single goal or assist in 95 minutes of action.

Even so, landing the attacking midfielder represents a coup for Celta. Suarez had been linked with a move to Valencia, per Marca's Fernando Alvarez.

He was said to prefer joining Los Che and reuniting with manager Marcelino. The pair enjoyed a fruitful partnership when Suarez was transferred to Villarreal in 2015.

He only spent one season with the Yellow Submarine but thrived in Marcelino's 4-4-2 setup, helping the club reach the semi-final of the Europa League. Suarez was so impressive for Villarreal, Barca quickly exercised a buy-back option.

Things haven't worked out since, but Celta will hope they're getting the same player from the 2015/16 campaign. If so, Suarez will be a major asset for a club that flirted with relegation last season.

Suarez is a skilled technician whose game is based on flair and vision. He should become the chief source of supply for striker and club talisman Iago Aspas.

Celta have another talent in the final third, while Barca have added to a transfer kitty already boosted by the sales of goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen and playmaker Andre Gomes.

Celta Vigo will be able to count on the goals of Iago Aspas until 2023 after the 31-year-old forward signed a contract extension on Wednesday.

Aspas' decision was reported by Football Espana, who noted how much of a boost it offers the club still fighting to avoid relegation from La Liga: "Aspas had missed three months of action with a calf problem, coinciding with his side's form plummeting but netted five goals in three games since his return."

Even with those goals, Celta remain just a point above the bottom three. Having Aspas available has to make manager Fran Escriba's team a favourite to ultimately achieve safety.

Aspas staying put is not only a huge boost to Celta, it's also a pleasing show of loyalty from the player who returned to the club in 2015 after a brief and ill-fated spell with Liverpool:

Football Espana's report also noted how Aspas was set to be out of contract in 2021. His decision to prolong his stay at Balaidos makes sense given how much his form has been revived since his return, netting 85 goals in all competitions since rejoining the club.

This season, Aspas is the highest-scoring Spaniard in La Liga. He's also keeping pace with some of the game's most gifted stars:

Those numbers will likely surprise Liverpool fans, who may remember Aspas as a timid figure who failed to assert himself after being brought to Anfield by Brendan Rodgers back in 2013.

However, such struggles are now merely distant memories for a striker who has come into his own. Although he wears No. 9, Aspas is far removed from a traditional target man.

Instead, he's all about perceptive movement, drifting out wide to drag markers on to the flanks or dropping off the front to help link play.

Through a mixture of intelligence and versatility, Aspas has not only made himself essential for Celta, but he's also become a useful option for the Spain national team.

Aspas scored a debut international goal against England in 2016, and he's since netted for his country at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

If Aspas can help Celta beat the drop, his new contract makes him the ideal talisman to build a more competitive team around ahead of next season.