Senegal defender Abdoulaye Faye makes Celta Vigo debut against Napoli

Senegalese defender Abdoulaye Faye made his first appearance for Celta Vigo on Saturday as his new side drew 1-1 with Napoli in a pre-season friendly.

Faye, who has joined the Spanish club on loan for the season, started the match and played 64 minutes before being replaced by Marcos Alonso.

The appearance marked the beginning of another loan spell for the 21-year-old, who spent last season at FC Lorient. During his time with the French club, Faye made 19 appearances for Les Merlus.

The defender is now continuing his development in Spain with Celta Vigo, where he will have the opportunity to gain further experience in La Liga.

Faye began his career at the Diambars academy in Senegal before moving to BK Häcken. His performances in Sweden led to a transfer to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2025.

However, the Senegalese defender has yet to make his official first-team debut for the German club.

His temporary move to Celta Vigo therefore provides another opportunity to play regularly and continue his progression at senior level.

Faye’s first appearance for the Galician side came against Napoli, with the two teams sharing the goals in a 1-1 draw.

The defender’s 64-minute outing gives him an early opportunity to adapt to his new surroundings and build match experience ahead of Celta Vigo’s competitive campaign.

Celta Vigo are preparing to begin their Spanish league season on 16 August, when they will face Osasuna in their opening fixture.

Faye will now look to build on his first appearance as he continues his loan spell in Spain.

For the Senegalese defender, the move represents another stage in a career that has already taken him from the Diambars academy to Sweden, France and Germany, and now to Spain.

Having played 19 times for Lorient last season, Faye will hope his latest experience at Celta Vigo can provide further opportunities to develop and establish himself at the highest level.