they first must take on Celta Vigo at the Santiago Bernabéu To keep the pressure on the Catalans, Real Madrid must win their remaining four league matches, starting with Celta Vigo. The defending Spanish and European champions will be severely undermanned, though, after the club confirmed Antonio Rüdiger, Ferland Mendy and David Alaba will miss the rest of the season due to injury Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal on the sidelines Rodrygo was also left out of Real Madrid's squad Without any of his starting defenders available, Carlo Ancelotti will have to once again rely on a makeshift backline come Sunday. He will also need Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior to deliver in attack or else Real Madrid's La Liga title hopes could vanish before they even make the trip to Barcelona Here's what Real Madrid's XI could look like against Celta Vigo on May 4 GK: Thibaut Courtois—Courtois will look to bounce back from a rare poor performance in the Copa del Rey final RB: Lucas Vázquez—With his contract set to expire this summer the Spaniard could be playing his final games for Real Madrid CB: Raúl Asencio—In a campaign marred by defensive struggles the former Real Madrid Castilla star has been a lone bright spot CB: Aurélien Tchouaméni—Since Alaba and Rüdiger are out for the season, Tchouaméni must return to his emergency center back duties. The Frenchman is one yellow card away from suspension, though, and must be careful to avoid entering the referee's book with El Clásico a week away LB: Fran García—García will be Ancelotti's starting left back for the rest of the season following Mendy's injury CM: Fede Valverde—The Uruguayan has been Real Madrid's most consistent and versatile player this season CM: Dani Ceballos—Ceballos struggled massively against Barcelona and will have to put in a better performance against Celta Vigo if he wants to keep his starting spot for El Clásico CM: Luka Modrić—The 39-year-old will captain Real Madrid in what will be his 587th appearance for the Spanish giants Modrić's future at the club remains uncertain and the Croatian could be bidding farewell to the Santiago Bernabéu just one season after Toni Kroos retired AM: Jude Bellingham—Bellingham is the obvious choice to start on Sunday but after playing 120 minutes last weekend and the entire season with a shoulder injury Ancelotti could opt to give Arda Güler the nod in his place ST: Vinícius Júnior—Vinícius Júnior has struggled to produce all season long but the Brazilian will hope to end the season on a high If he can find the back of the net against Celta Vigo it will be just his second goal in his last six appearances AMANDA LANGELLAmanda Langell is a Sports Illustrated Soccer freelance writer covering the European game and international competitions. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Thibaut Courtois—8.5: Several important saves to keep Madrid in the match Lucas Vázquez—6: Overlapped effectively and delivered two low-driven crosses that caused Celta problems lacked the speed and athleticism to recover into position Raúl Asencio—7: Crucial last-ditch intervention on Borja Iglesias early in the game Tchouaméni—8: Quietly put in a five-star performance at center back for 70 minutes Fantastic 1v1 defending and intercepted multiple attempted through balls Lost concentration on Swedberg’s goal but otherwise delivered his best showing at center back Fran García—5: Lacked chemistry with Vini Jr Provided energy and effort defensively to help contain Celta Dani Ceballos—6: Nearly perfect in possession but exposed in transition due to several poor high pressing sequences from the team Federico Valverde—7: Delivered several ball-carrying bursts through midfield that led to dangerous Madrid attacks Jude Bellingham—6: Inconsistent performance with his best moments coming early before fatigue set in late on Arda Guler—9: Everything Guler touched turned to gold Scored a vintage goal with perfect technique delivered an Ozil-like pass to an on-running Mbappe for the second goal Vinícius Júnior—5: Showed flashes of electric speed early on but faded from the game as Güler assumed control down the middle and right capitalizing on his sharp off-ball movement Jacobo—5: Struggled with the movement and vision of Aspas often stepping out too aggressively and pulling the backline out of shape Luka Modrić—5: Brought in to provide control but instead chaos ensued with two late goals and mounting pressure from Celta Brahim Díaz—N/A: 13 minutes and 6 touches; no real impact on the game A post shared by Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) despite another afternoon of great suffering Carlo Ancelotti’s team started well against Celta Vigo before a brace from Kylian Mbappe seemed to seal the game Madrid struggled in the final minutes and Celta came close to an equaliser after goals from Javi Rodriguez and Williot Swedberg but Madrid held on to a valuable 3-2 victory who is still aiming to win a title before his planned departure from the club: “La Liga is in Barcelona’s hand But we have more chances if we are able to win,” the Madrid head coach said The Athletic’s Guillermo Rai was at the Bernabeu and brings you the key talking points Arda Guler hasn’t featured much this season In the list of players with the most minutes in the team the 20-year-old Turkish international is 17th Guler once again proved that he deserves more chances with a great performance The Brazilian’s absence was hardly noticeable and Guler was key to nearly every attacking move from the start he tried to score a difficult goal with a volley Guler beat the Celta defence with ease and once again brought the Bernabeu to its feet It was the Turk’s last warning before he opened the scoring in the 33rd minute with a left-footed whipped shot from the edge of the box His celebration was also a declaration of intent He marched to the corner and pointed to the Madrid crest — in case there were any doubts about his future at the club “Madrid gave me a plan and I still believe in it,” Guler told Marca in late March he is a player who wants to continue at Madrid who has worked hard and has not lost confidence,” the manager said “The Guler of September is not the Guler of today “You have to suck (it up on) the bench to be a starter at Real Madrid he did better this year and he will do even better next season.” Guler still had time to gift Mbappe an assist but a good save from Celta goalkeeper Vicente Guaita prevented it Guler completed all of his passes (62 out of 62) made three key passes and won two duels against Celta I threw a stick at what was around him (in criticism) but now I have to congratulate him because they have done a good job,” continued Ancelotti who did not rule out Guler starting in El Clasico Guler was one of the team’s main characters with five goals in the last five games he played in La Liga No less is expected of him as this season draws to a close After the club’s thrashing against Arsenal in the Champions League In the following match — and even though the 26-year-old striker wasn’t selected and was seated in a box — he was whistled by a large section of the Bernabeu when his image appeared on the screens But the French international had a chance to make amends against Celta and did so by giving Madrid victory with two goals Jude Bellingham had a clear sight of Mbappe he came close to a hat-trick with a volley Mbappe had already surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo’s goalscoring tally in his first season (Ronaldo scored 33) though it has taken him 16 games more than his idol to do so he still has four La Liga games and the Club World Cup to widen the gap “He’s going to be an important player against Barcelona his movements will be important and decisive Madrid’s chances of fighting for the championship may depend on his goals This can’t happen again,” said Federico Valverde at the end of the match Ancelotti’s side struggled again after replacing Raul Asencio in the 67th minute The Madrid youth player “couldn’t take it anymore” (as Ancelotti explained afterwards) and had to be replaced by Jacobo Ramon At the time of the substitution, Madrid had five defenders out injured (Dani Carvajal Ferland Mendy) and a midfielder who could have played in defence but was out for the same reason (Eduardo Camavinga) Ancelotti could not remove Aurelien Tchouameni who was close to being suspended (because he had accumulated four yellow cards) the change made Ancelotti’s team automatically relax in defence Celta defender Javi Rodriguez took advantage of a rebound from a corner and scored Williot Swedberg slipped in a free space between Ramon and Tchouameni to make it 3-2 There was still a chance for Celta to equalise when Pablo Duran’s shot inside the box was brilliantly saved by Thibaut Courtois Celta had seven shots on target — one more than Madrid the Belgian goalkeeper was key for Madrid with three great saves before the end of the 90 minutes it didn’t end well: Madrid were back to suffering in the final minutes as they have done so many times this season at the Bernabeu (including against Celta in the Copa del Rey) Madrid have already conceded 33 goals in La Liga (seven more than in the whole of last season) the lack of willingness on the part of their attackers in the transitions of the opposition was seen again with Ancelotti’s team ending up split in two several times These systemic problems have plagued the team this season and the Italian has not been able to solve them despite identifying them early on the manager’s situation has become more and more compromised until we are where we are Although Ancelotti said before the Celta game that he would not reveal anything about his future until 25 May the expectation is that he will leave the club before the summer Club World Cup Speaking of the last few minutes of today’s game Ancelotti said: “The game seemed to be over.” Against Barcelona (Top photo: Mbappe scoring his second against Celta Vigo;  by Gokhan Taner/Middle East Images via AFP/Getty Images) Guillermo began his career covering Real Madrid and the sports industry for Diario AS. He later moved to London and became AS and Cadena Ser correspondent. He has since returned to Madrid and joins us at The Athletic where he will deliver Real Madrid news, interviews, stories, and more. Follow Guillermo on Twitter @GuillermoRai_ This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Real Madrid host Celta Vigo in a crucial LaLiga game where they’ll need to earn the three points if they want to stay alive in the race for the 2024-25 title Rodrygo is not available and Arda Güler will almost certainly replace him in the lineup Tchouameni is one yellow card away from missing next week’s El Clasico so the French midfielder will have to be careful as his presence in the center of the defensive line is now crucial Managing Madrid has affiliate partnerships though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links Güler got the hosts on the scoresheet in the 33rd minute with another brilliant left-footed strike Mbappé doubled Real Madrid's lead with a piece of his own individual magic Jude Bellingham found Mbappé on the counter attack and the Frenchman rifled a shot from distance as he was going to ground Celta Vigo goalkeeper Vicente Guaita had no chance of stopping the effort Real Madrid kicked off the second half with their sights still set on goal Güler and Mbappé combined to give their team the 3–0 lead The 20-year-old split Celta Vigo's defense with a brilliant ball into the path of Mbappé who fired a low finish into the bottom-right corner of the net The game changed for the hosts when Carlo Ancelotti substituted Raúl Asencio, Los Blancos' only available first-team center back for 20-year-old Jacobo Ramón in the 67th minute Celta Vigo scored just two minutes later and then again in the 76th minute to cut Real Madrid's three-goal lead down to one Real Madrid closed out the game, though, and extended their La Liga winning streak to four matches. Still, the defending Spanish and European champions trail Barcelona by four points. The bitter rivals are once again set to clash on May 11, and the winner of El Clásico could decide which team comes out on top of the La Liga title race Check out the player ratings from Real Madrid's victory below *Ratings provided by FotMob* Real Madrid host Celta Vigo in what should be a somewhat manageable home game for Los Blancos who need the three points after Barça’s win over Valladolid last night Ancelotti has a depleted defensive line at his disposal so it will be interesting to see if the team has the will and the determination to fight for the title when things are that bleak The Galician city on the Atlantic coast has the EU’s largest fishing port which provides its many bars and restaurants with a spectacular trawl of oysters Rocks thrashed by Atlantic waves have famously bestowed names such as “end of the world” and “coast of death” on Galicia Legend has it that they resulted from the imprint of God’s hand when he made the world which spills down a hillside into a sheltered estuary lined with marinas The magic formula is the combination of fresh river water and salty seawater which creates a nutrient-rich paradise for succulent crustaceans and cephalopods that Vigueses are joined at the hip to the sea – and have been for centuries Passion for el mar rules: “We are all men of the sea,” as one local tells me and trawler-loads of ocean fish join shellfish on the plates of Vigo’s many taverns I suddenly meet a lifesize statue of a bearded man incongruously seated on four giant octopus tentacles If you know Jules Verne’s epic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea featuring Captain Nemo and his ingenious submarine Nautilus the author conjured up Nemo’s fictional search for treasure in the sunken galleons of the seabed Some were possibly scuttled by Francis Drake who had raided Vigo three centuries earlier I set off to investigate the farmed mussels of the estuary. Pablo Mariño, of marine tourism specialist Bluscus steering me in his traditional bateeiro boat over the calm plankton-rich water towards what looks like a wooden shack on stilts It is one of more than 600 bateas (floating rafts) in this ria alone – part of Galicia’s marine industry that exports worldwide and employs about 15% of Vigo’s population Monument to Jules Verne in the port of Vigo Photograph: Ricardo Alvarez Garcia/AlamyJorge complex process of producing top-notch mussels (some of which I later devour): plump Long ropes suspended above and hanging into the water are their nurturing ground from spawn to shell Jorge’s enthusiasm sparkles as he shows off a hefty cluster of the inky black shells “My only problem is that I’m allergic to eating them!” Near where we dock, I meet softly spoken Severino Casal, a former fisher who runs trips along the coast in his 1970s wooden boat Nuevo Migueliño “I fell in love with the sea in my teens: fresh air But the industry is changing now due to stricter regulations rising water temperature and pollution in the rias am served the mandatory glass of chilled albariño Uphill from here starts the picturesque Casco Vello, the old town, an endurance test of steps and slopes winding past sober granite houses, little squares and a slew of tempting bars and restaurants. At night, uplighters illuminate the facades, making it even dreamier. This is where to find the appealing old classic Taberna A Pedra and order silky grilled navajas (razor clams the basket of bread is crustily perfect for mopping up juice At night, the squares of Casco Vello become even more dreamy. Photograph: Roger Cracknell/Classic/AlamyNearby is funky Valdevez hidden down a tight alley and a darling of Vigo’s football team Their tender pulpo a feira (Galician-style octopus) is crowned with smashed potato and paprika and you can even sample aged beef tenderloin from the hills Suddenly it’s architecturally all change when I arrive at Praza do Porta do Sol a relic of the Catalan entrepreneurs who developed Galicia’s profitable canning industry in the late 19th century Along with factories churning out tins of sardines and mussels they brought modernista (Catalan culture’s equivalent of art nouveau) architecture as well as banks and luxury commerce that lined the avenues This part of town is now the centre of nightlife and the place to break away from traditional eateries as well as fishing villages and pristine beaches across the luminous water can be reached by ferry or the immense Rande bridge A plate of grilled razor clams is a typical Galician tapa. Photograph: Laura Di Biase/AlamyOff the Gran Via, where I am spirited uphill by moving walkways – a welcome innovation – I seek out Enxebre a sharply modern restaurant expertly run by a young couple breaking new ground with surreal twists on Galician classics and you can sit at the kitchen counter to watch the action Back towards the estuary, I catch my breath on a bench in the Alameda da Praza de Compostela, where gardens of magnolias and tree ferns are rimmed by stately facades. Although most surrounding bars and restaurants are mediocre, an exception lurks around the corner: La Mar Salada This chic little restaurant is renowned for perfectly baked Atlantic fish (seabream cod in pil pil sauce and creamy rice with red prawns and monkfish We order jugs of the densest red wine I’ve ever seen to wash down empanadas, croquetas, jamón, tortilla and pork filletPlenty more seafood restaurants lie in wait, but I decide to spend my last evening investigating a unique 300-year-old Galician tradition – a furancho. This takes me into the hilly wine-country of Rías Baixas in the company of Juan Vidal and Lorena Cancelas, two of the founders of Guía Furanchín an online guide to dozens of small-scale wineries which open for three months between December and June to offload their surplus punters come to enjoy young wine together with homemade tapas We order jugs of both red (the densest I’ve ever seen) and white to wash down empanadas tortilla and pork fillet – simple but tasty food many still in working clothes and enjoying a cheap night out (our bill came to €12 each and we were sated) For anyone with two or four wheels, or simply two legs, Vigo also offers a seductive range of coastal side trips, from Cambados (the capital of albariño wine), where at low tide shellfishers rake the sand for razor clams, to the nature park of Corrubedo, a birders’ haven where boardwalks vanish into undulating sand dunes. In Corrubedo itself, search out authentic seafood at the very cool Bar do Porto owned by the British architect Sir David Chipperfield and his family As Galician aficionados for more than 30 years they prove how this region gets under your skin Townies can head south to discover charming Baiona with its peninsula fort The world of Vigo is your ostra – or is it mussel Defending champions Madrid's fourth win in a row kept their title dream alive with four matches to go in the Spanish top flight while Celta Vigo remained seventh after their third loss in four league games "The most important thing was the win. We played a good first half, but then we fell apart ... They are a great team and they put us in trouble," midfielder Federico Valverde told Real Madrid TV Mbappé doubled Madrid's lead six minutes later as Jude Bellingham's lobbed ball unleashed the Frenchman who ran down the opposition half and fired a right-footed shot from the edge of the box into the net Güler's through ball set up Mbappé's second goal three minutes into the second half, the 26-year-old finding the bottom-right corner to score his 24th league goal of the season. That is one less than Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski But Celta Vigo, who lost only two of their previous 11 league games and nearly scored early on with two Marcos Alonso chances The visitors began a fightback with their first goal 69 minutes in, Javi Rodríguez punishing the Madrid defence for failing to clear Sotelo's attempt off a corner with a close-range finish Williot Swedberg scored Celta Vigo's second goal seven minutes later as Iago Aspas found him in the box with a precise through ball Under pressure, Madrid did well to see out the final minutes as Courtois made crucial saves to deny Pablo Durán and Aspas to protect the hosts' lead let's get ready for next Sunday," Courtois said \"The most important thing was the win. We played a good first half, but then we fell apart ... They are a great team and they put us in trouble,\" midfielder Federico Valverde told Real Madrid TV Mbappé doubled Madrid's lead six minutes later as Jude Bellingham's lobbed ball unleashed the Frenchman Güler's through ball set up Mbappé's second goal three minutes into the second half, the 26-year-old finding the bottom-right corner to score his 24th league goal of the season. That is one less than Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski But Celta Vigo, who lost only two of their previous 11 league games and nearly scored early on with two Marcos Alonso chances The visitors began a fightback with their first goal 69 minutes in, Javi Rodríguez punishing the Madrid defence for failing to clear Sotelo's attempt off a corner with a close-range finish Williot Swedberg scored Celta Vigo's second goal seven minutes later as Iago Aspas found him in the box with a precise through ball Under pressure, Madrid did well to see out the final minutes as Courtois made crucial saves to deny Pablo Durán and Aspas to protect the hosts' lead let's get ready for next Sunday,\" Courtois said Real Madrid will attempt to keep La Liga's title race alive when they face Celta Vigo on Sunday Los Blancos suffered a demoralising defeat to Barcelona in the final of the Copa del Rey last week meaning the league is their last chance to end the season with silverware to add to their UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Intercontinental Cup trophies Barca came from behind to beat bottom-of-the-table Valladolid on Saturday meaning the gap at the summit is now seven points El Clasico in Catalonia is up next on May 11 so Madrid know they cannot afford to let that gap grow this weekend Carlo Ancelotti could be facing the final few games of his second spell in charge with a change of coach expected regardless of whether the Italian agrees a deal with the Brazil national team He will be desperate to sustain Madrid's challenge for one more league title before he departs MORE: Latest on Carlo Ancelotti's talks with Brazil national team not just for this game but for the duration of the run-in given a six-game ban for throwing an object towards the referee in the Copa final loss to Barcelona has undergone knee surgery and is out of action anyway Ferland Mendy has had an operation on a tendon problem and David Alaba underwent a procedure on his left meniscus Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao are also still sidelined his two-game ban for his off-the-field red card being restricted to Copa games Eduardo Camavinga has a groin injury and Rodrygo misses out through illness but Kylian Mbappe is fit to start after coming off the bench in the cup final MORE: Liverpool to battle Man City for Serie A star if Alexander-Arnold joins Real Madrid Carl Starfelt had been close to returning for Celta after missing two league games with a hamstring injury but he ruptured a tendon in training and will now miss the final games of the season Claudio Giraldez has a strong-looking squad at his disposal Madrid-born youngster Fer Lopez makes starts having scored his second La Liga goal in last weekend's impressive 3-0 win over Villarreal Here's how to watch this La Liga match across selected areas of the world's major regions: If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Learn more > Joe Wright is a Senior Editor at Sporting News He was previously a sub editor and writer for Goal.com before spending six years as part of the Stats Perform editorial news service covering major global sports including football Joe has extensive experience covering some of the biggest events in football including two UEFA Champions League finals the Confederations Cup 2017 and the 2018 World Cup Real Madrid will hope to close the gap on league leaders Barcelona when they host Celta Vigo in La Liga on Sunday.It has been a disappointing few weeks for Real Madrid as they were knocked out of the Champions League by Arsenal and lost the Copa del Rey final to Barcelona they will look to hurl in all their energy for a last-gasp bid for the domestic title Celta Vigo ended their two-game losing streak with a convincing 3-0 win over Villarreal last time which hauled them back to European contention The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game Here's how to watch this La Liga match in the U.S.: TV channel: —Live stream: ESPN+ This game is not available for live TV broadcast in English Language in USA. Streaming options are available on ESPN+ and ESPN App You can get an ESPN+ subscription for $11.99 per month or purchase an annual plan for $119.99 per year Stream your favorite teams live and enjoy more sports anywhere with an ESPN+ subscription WATCH:Best of La Liga action LIVE on ESPN+ This La Liga clash takes place at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid Here's how that time translates across the U.S.: Carlo Ancelotti has big problems in defence and David Alaba has had a procedure on his left meniscus but Lucas Vazquez will at least be able to play but Kylian Mbappe should be fit to start after coming off the bench in the cup final but a setback saw him rupture a tendon in training meaning he will now miss the final games of the season Abhinav Nair is a sports writer at The Sporting News covering everything from football to NASCAR he graduated from Ambedkar University with a master’s degree in history Abhinav likes playing badminton and watching mystery shows Abhinav covered the 2022 FIFA World Cup for Goal Carlo Ancelotti's men must win their remaining five league matches to keep the pressure on the Catalans who sit four points clear of Real Madrid atop the La Liga standings The first test for the defending Spanish and European champions is Celta Vigo Real Madrid already previously defeated Celta Vigo in La Liga and the Copa del Rey this season, but the Sky Blues are finding their form as of late. In fact, Barcelona needed a 98th-minute penalty to collect all three points against Celta Vigo just a few weeks ago it is Los Blancos' turn to try and replicate a similar result Here's everything you need to know ahead of the all-important La Liga clash Last meeting: Real Madrid 5–2 Celta Vigo (January 16 Real Madrid suffered three injury blows in the aftermath of the Copa del Rey final Ferland Mendy and David Alaba are all out for the remainder of the season Aurélien Tchouaméni will be forced to return to his emergency center back duties, but the Frenchman must be careful to avoid a yellow card; if he enters the referee's book against Celta Vigo, he will receive a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation and therefore miss El Clásico Rodrygo would normally be a shoo-in to start up top along with Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior but the Brazilian was left out of Real Madrid's squad Real Madrid predicted lineup vs Celta Vigo (4-3-1-2): Courtois; Vázquez Carl Starfelt remains sidelined with a hamstring injury and will likely miss the rest of the season for Celta Vigo Yoel Lago has stepped up in Starfelt's absence and will continue to start alongside Marcos Alonso and Carlos Domínguez in defense Jones El-Abdellaoui is a doubt to feature in Sunday's fixture as well due to a thigh injury The 18-year-old has yet to make his debut for the club after transferring from Norway's Vålerenga Claudio Giráldez will once again rely on Borja Iglesias to lead his attack The Spaniard bagged a hat trick against Barcelona and then recorded a goal and an assist against Villarreal The last time Celta Vigo secured all three points against Real Madrid came back in 2017 Los Blancos have defeated the Sky Blues in their last 10 meetings Real Madrid's depleted backline will leave the door open for Celta Vigo to get on the scoresheet but Ancelotti's men should have enough firepower to get past their opponents at the Santiago Bernabéu This page is now closed, but a summary of the football match is available below, and you can go here for our full match report. Thanks for joining us at Al Jazeera Sport Real Madrid hung on to keep their La Liga title hopes alive beating Celta Vigo 3-2 despite a stirring second-half fightback from the visitors at a tetchy Santiago Bernabeu Arda Guler's fine opener and goals from Kylian Mbappe either side of halftime had Carlo Ancelotti's side in cruise control Madrid knew they needed a win to head into next weekend's Clasico in Barcelona within four points of their bitter rivals at the top of the table and Barca would have been able to seal the title with a fourth victory of the campaign over the old enemy This state of play might explain the collective panic after Celta defender Javi Rodriguez smuggled a goal from a corner with a little over 20 minutes remaining Latest live updates | Team news and lineups | Where to watch where you are MORE: Real Madrid drop hint over El Clasico plan for Kylian Mbappe Claudio Giraldez's attacking substitutions after his side went 3-0 down shaped much of the contest that followed and two of those replacements combined to make it 3-2 Veteran forward Iago Aspas picked a wonderful pass for Williot Swedberg to slot home who made a pair of excellent first-half saves almost let an attempt from another substitute Tension is doing unusual things in this La Liga title race, as evidenced by Barcelona struggling past bottom club Valladolid on Saturday with Madrid four points behind with four games to play Even though Barca will have seen little to fear here Carlo Ancelotti's side have the advantage of a free midweek while the Blaugrana travel to face Inter Milan with their Champions League semifinal all square at 3-3 going for glory when he should really be going for the corner flag He loses possession and Celta break forward referee Manzano books Jacobo but blows his whistle before Celta can take the corner can you imagine if he'd done that at the other end in the same situation Madrid escape with a breathless win that had looked like being a walk in the park Celta were brilliant during the final stages as Claudio Giraldez's changes paid dividends But the title race is alive heading to Catalonia next weekend It won't be for much longer if Madrid defend like this against Barcelona 90+3 mins: A bouncing clearance from Courtois goal all the way through to Mbappe His eyes light up and he cracks a shot over 90+1 mins: Five minutes of injury time begin with every Madrid player behind the ball 89 mins: Similar stuff at the other end as Brahim spins into the box but prods too close to Guaita with his left foot Alonso slides Swedberg into the box was a cute pass 88 mins: Iago finds some space on the edge of the Madrid box and goes for goal Courtois tumbles to his right to make a fairly routine save 86 mins: Madrid deciding the safest thing to do here is score again Fran Garcia works an attack over to Bellingham 85 mins: Vinicius approaches the Celta box but takes a lame tumble under a challenge from Rodriguez Madrid enjoy the lucky break of Iago not picking the right pass on this occasion 83 mins: Guler makes way with a goal and an assist to his name It's been a fine afternoon for him but could yet be an ignominious one for Madrid Brahim is on to make sure that isn't the case The shot squirms through Courtois but he gets back to grasp it on his goalline Iago straight into the thick of things with a lovely pass for fellow substitute Swedberg who darts through a gap between the Madrid centre-backs that he might have driven a reasonably sized bus through 74 mins: Modric on for Ceballos as Ancelotti attempts the bring a measure of calm and control to a midfield battle that has tilted in Celta's favour over the past 10 minutes or so And here comes Iago Aspas for defensive midfielder Sotelo 73 mins: Vinicius twists and turns and fires off a fantastic effort into the side netting It definitely feels like there are more goals in this one Celta get a corner that looks like it came off one of their own players Madrid don't deal with a skidding low delivery Vazquez clears off the line but only as far as Rodriguez who boots it into the roof of the net from close range 67 mins: Asencio makes way for fellow Real Madrid academy graduate 63 mins: Mbappe clumps the free-kick into the wall and Celta clear Bellingham's through ball is overhit and he still panics and pulls the France superstar down It's a yellow card and he's only saved from a red by the fact Mbappe probably wasn't going to get to the pass 58 mins: Bellingham is bypassed in midfield and Alfon has a opportunity only for Tchouameni to stick to his task superbly with a fine challenge Celta play themselves into trouble and the Turkey youngster plays a sharp one-two with Mbappe to draw a reaction save from Guaita And here's a chance for Bellingham from the resulting corner that he heads over 55 mins: Bellingham opens his stride as Celta back off and fires over from outside the box 54 mins: The first Celta changes are here and Iago isn't among them Alvarez and Moriba replace Carreira and Beltran 52 mins: Iago Aspas is warming up for Celta Guler spears a superb through ball and Mbappe is alive to it getting away from Lago with a brilliant run and slotting a left-footed finish across Guaita Celta will need to start this half as they did the first and take their chances to have any hope especially during Madrid's lackadaisical start But Carlo Ancelotti's side made their quality tell as Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe each scored fabulous goals It looks like the title race will have plenty of life in Catalonia next weekend great friend of match officials that he is gets the first booking of the game for a clumsy 44 mins: Celta looking for a way back into the match but Courtois pouches Carreira's cross unfussily 1 has had an excellent and influential half not wanting to commit and get beaten by the Frenchman and his electric pace Mbappe simple thunders a brilliant strike into the top corner 39 mins: Danger for Madrid as Borja's cross is deflected and Courtois adjusts to make a stunning save A corner is worked short cleverly from the right and Guler whips a fabulous strike cross goal and into the far corner The replay shows it might have taken a nick off Alonso engineers a little room but batters his shot a long way over Madrid have established control of this one but it might require then being a bit more patient than that 27 mins: Vazquez getting after a ball over the top Rodriguez gets there first and receives a whack for his troubles 24 mins: Vazquez gets forward down the Celta left to whip in a cross Fellow full-back Garcia collects the loose ball and hacks it way over from distance 22 mins: Carreira cuts in from the right and Gonzalez moves out into the space he's vacated No Madrid defenders have gone with the Celta attacker but his cross is wasteful and goes back to Courtois via a deflection off Tchouameni 15 mins: Things have calmed down a little from that frantic start going a fraction too early down the right on this occasion But he definitely has his eye on this Madrid high line 8 mins: Madrid get rid of the next corner and break sharply with Vinicus leading the charge and Lago almost puts through his own goal Corner for the hosts and Tchouameni powers over a free header 7 mins: Now Borja springs a flimsy Madrid offside trap The experience forward takes a poor touch and Asencio can scramble behind One-time Madrid youngster and Barcelona loanee Alonso darts to the near post and heads just wide from a left-wing corner 3 mins: Vinicius gets to the byline and leaves a sliding challenge from Rodriguez behind Madrid get us underway and are smoothly into an opening spell of possession against their Europe-chasing opponents 2 mins before kickoff: The players are out on the field and will pay a moment's respect to the late Pope Francis before getting underway 20 mins before kickoff: Jude Bellingham starts today after having a red card for his part in the post-final brouhaha last weekend recinded You might say Madrid are overdue a big performance from their England star who is without a goal in his past seven matches 💯 @BellinghamJude 💯 pic.twitter.com/iltulMjrMz 40 mins before kickoff: So here's the equation for Real Madrid Barcelona's win last night means they lead by seven points having played a game more the gap will be four points heading into next weekend's Clasico in Catalonia So three points against Celta and Los Blancos have the chance to move within one by beating Barca next weekend Barcelona can become champions by beating their old rivals on May 11 it's perhaps an understatement to say Carlo Ancelotti's men need to win 1 hour before kickoff: Here's the Celta Vigo starting XI Madrid-born youngster Fer Lopez makes starts for the visitors 𝑷𝒐𝒍𝒐 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝑪𝒍𝒖𝒃 𝑪𝒆𝒍𝒕𝒂... 𝒙𝒐𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒂́𝒏... 🩵#RealMadridCelta ⋄ #LALIGAEASPORTS pic.twitter.com/DvuIfz4JpX 1 hr 30 mins before kickoff: Here's how Madrid line up today Aurelien Tchouameni and Raul Asencio start at centre-back as effectively the only options available to Carlo Ancelotti in that department Arda Guler makes his 10th La Liga start of the season as Rodrygo sits this one out with illness having come off the bench to score in the cup final last weekend 📋✅ Our starting XI🆚 @RCCeltaEN! pic.twitter.com/oMpmSOJ0Kr 2 hours before kickoff. Hello and welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of Real Madrid vs. Celta Vigo in La Liga. Do Madrid have any chance of catching Barcelona at the top? Have they all calmed down after the Copa del Rey final? Is everyone suspended This La Liga match kicks off in Madrid at 2 p.m Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories: Dom is the senior content producer for Sporting News UK He previously worked as fan brands editor for Manchester City at Reach Plc he built more than a decade of experience in the sports journalism industry primarily for the Stats Perform and Press Association news agencies Dom has covered major football events on location including the entirety of Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup in Paris and St Petersburg respectively along with numerous high-profile Premier League Champions League and England international matches Cricket and boxing are his other major sporting passions and he has covered the likes of Anthony Joshua Gennadiy Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko live from ringside The rivals' best goalscorers are also in pursuit of the Pichichi Trophy awarded to La Liga's golden boot winner Lewandowski looked to have the Pichichi race all-but wrapped up thanks to Barcelona's ferocious attack The Catalans have scored a league-high 91 goals so far this season and 25 have come from the Poland international Mbappé failed to find the back of the net in La Liga throughout the entirety of April Now, the 26-year-old is closing in on Lewandowski right when Real Madrid and Barcelona are set to clash in what could be a title-deciding El Clásico Check out the Pichichi race between Lewandowski and Mbappé after Matchweek 34: Mbappé now has 24 goals to his name in his debut La Liga campaign The Frenchman is just one goal away from tying Lewandowski's 25-goal haul Both players are also almost level on appearances with the Barcelona striker playing just one more game than Mbappé this season No other player in La Liga has hit the 20-goal mark this season; the closest player behind Lewandowski and Mbappé in the La Liga goalscoring race is Osasuna's Ante Budimir who has bagged 18 league goals in the 2024–25 campaign While Lewandowski and Mbappé will be focused on winning La Liga with their respective teams they also are both within striking distance of the significant individual achievement Should Real Madrid fail to overcome Barcelona in the La Liga title race the Pichichi Trophy would be a solid consolation prize for Mbappé would become the first player since Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to claim the award in multiple seasons; the 36-year-old previously won the Pichichi Trophy in Barcelona's 2022–23 campaign Before either player can look ahead to silverware they first must prepare to face off at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on May 11 knowing anything less than a win will harm their title chances Barcelona extended their lead to seven points with a win yesterday with Los Blancos needing to reduce that to four ahead of the El Clasico next week Things have become much more difficult for Carlo Ancelotti and Ferland Mendy ruled out for the remainder of the season Rodrygo was also announced as absent when the squad was released yesterday 💪⚽🔛 pic.twitter.com/3x94qwTH21 It means Ancelotti has had to make several changes to the team Aurélien Tchouaméni moves into the center-back position MORE: Three Real Madrid Players Who Are At Risk Of Missing The El Clasico Due To Suspension 📋✅ Our starting XI 🆚 @RCCeltaEN! pic.twitter.com/oMpmSOJ0Kr Celta Head Coach Claudio Giráldez Reveals How They Can Beat Real Madrid Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo: Odds And Prediction Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo Preview: Start Time, Team News, How To Watch & Live Stream Transcript: Carlo Ancelotti’s Pre-Match Press Conference Ahead of Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo JORDAN MERRITTJordan Merritt is a freelance soccer writer who covers Real Madrid CF On SI. He is an obsessive soccer fan and an Arsenal supporter. Carlo Ancelotti and his side fell to Hansi Flick's Barcelona 3-2 in the Copa del Rey final they are second in the table with 72 points from 33 games Los Blancos are four points behind the Blaugrana in the table with the title race entering its latest stage Both sides are set to face each other next week in a crucial game that could decide the title if Madrid were to lose Carlo Ancelotti's team will face seventh-placed Celta Vigo which is sitting in the last Europa League spot and a positive result against Los Blancos could cement their place in Europe 🔋⚽🛠️ pic.twitter.com/nDy18a1PkH Real Madrid have won four of their last five league games Os Celestes have won two of their previous five games in the league registering two losses and a draw in the period Ahead of the game, let's have a look at the odds and prediction for the match. (odds via Draftkings) Real Madrid: 1.5 (Over: -350; Under: +225 ) Los Merengues are in the middle of an injury crisis with several of their defenders added to the already long list of unavailable players; they will be sidelined until the end of the season and will also miss the upcoming Club World Cup this summer Aurélien Tchouaméni will undoubtedly be starting in central defense alongside Raul Asencio in the foreseeable future 👊⚙️🌱 pic.twitter.com/DnGSvPwdRq Though Madrid's issues are more defence oriented Carlo Ancelotti's side is also struggling offensively as they failed to score more than one goal in their last five league games Los Blancos are averaging 2 goals per game this season in the league and are set to face a side that conceded 49 goals in 33 games Real Madrid will certainly look to put the game away quickly to avoid any injuries before their crucial game against Barcelona next week Madrid are expected to come out victorious in their clash against Celta Vigo and keep the pressure on Barcelona ahead of the upcoming El Clásico next week Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help When Is The Earliest Real Madrid Could Lose Their La Liga Title? Los Blancos are sitting four points behind first-placed Barcelona in the table with five games remaining in the season Carlo Ancelotti's side have been recently plagued with injuries in their backline The Italian tactician and his team must overcome this injury crisis to defeat Os Celestes MORE: Real Madrid Coaching Staff Give Six-Word Response When Asked About Defensive Injuries 🏃‍♂️ @DaniCeballos46🏃‍♂️ @FedeeValverde pic.twitter.com/eSTHN5WQuA Celta Vigo defeated fifth-placed Villarreal 3-0 in their last league game as they are fighting for the last Europa League spot with Osasuna the defensive choices given to Carlo Ancelotti and his staff are reduced increasing the possibility of several players playing out of position in their next games IMAGO / Alberto GardinGK: Thibault Courtois - The Belgian goalkeeper is the best in the world at his position and has been one of their most reliable players since returning from his injury RB: Lucas Vasquez - The Spanish midfielder is set to start against Celta Vigo at right-back but his coach might opt for Federico Valverde to start at the right-back position the Uruguay international should feature in midfield CB: Aurélien Tchouaméni - The Frenchman likely partners Asencio at the center-back position in the foreseeable future following the long-term injury sustained by Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba CB: Raul Asencio - One of the two remaining center-backs left in Ancelotti's squad The Spanish player has had a fantastic season for Madrid seeing his role in the team growing weekly LB: Fran Garcia - Garcia is the only senior left-back in Madrid's squad and is set to start their next game against Os Celestes CDM: Dani Ceballos - With Tchouaméni sliding in defense Ceballos should start in the heart of Madrid's midfield next to Luka Modric CM: Luka Modric - The Croatian wizard is set to start against Vigo; his role will be crucial to dictate the pace of his side CM: Federico Valverde - The Uruguay international should return to his natural midfield position for this game; he has been incredible this season RW Brahim Diaz - Rodrygo is out of the squad so Brahim Diaz or Arda Guler may start the game Ancelotti may lean towards the former with slightly more experience - Though it is not his best period at the club the Brazilian remains a constant threat to his opponents ST: Kylian Mbappé - The Frenchman sits three goals behind Lewandowski in the Pichichi race he has a good opportunity to end his first La Liga campaign with the Golden Boot Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo Official Squad Announced For La Liga Match Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo: 5 Classic La Liga Matches Real Madrid Coaching Staff Give Six-Word Response When Asked About Defensive Injuries Celta Vigo are seventh and eyeing a European spot Thanks for joining us as Real Madrid hold on to beat Celta Vigo El Clasico will be incredibly interesting next weekend with Barcelona having the chance to wrap up the La Liga title They do have the small matter of a Champions League semi-final to play against Inter Milan before that while Real Madrid can rest and get ready for a huge match you can read all about it by clicking the 'report' tab at the top of this page 33Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingReal Madrid close the gap at the toppublished at 15:02 British Summer Time 4 May15:02 BST 4 MayFT: Real Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo Real Madrid move four points behind leaders Barcelona El Clasico next Sunday will be very tasty indeed 283Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 14:58 British Summer Time 4 May14:58 BST 4 MayFT: Real Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo Kylian Mbappe is named Man of the Match after another great performance He has scored 24 goals in La Liga this season and is now one behind top scorer Robert Lewandowski 189Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingFULL-TIMEpublished at 14:54 British Summer Time 4 May14:54 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo Real Madrid hold on to move four points behind leaders Barcelona 2818Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 14:52 British Summer Time 4 May14:52 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo Kylian Mbappe misses out on his hat-trick as he thumps the ball over the crossbar A lack of composure from the France captain 169Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 14:51 British Summer Time 4 May14:51 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo Hugo Alvarez has a low shot towards goal but it goes wide of the post 91Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 14:51 British Summer Time 4 May14:51 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo Celta Vigo have the ball with Real Madrid forced to defend as they look to see out the win 91Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 4 May14:50 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo There will be five minutes of stoppage time to play 107Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 14:48 British Summer Time 4 May14:48 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo Federico Valverde plays the ball into the feet of Brahim Diaz who turns and shoots but it's an easy save for Vicente Guaita 63Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 14:47 British Summer Time 4 May14:47 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo Iago Aspas goes for goal this time but his curling effort is well saved by Thibaut Courtois Less than five minutes to play and Celta Vigo are pushing for the equaliser 133Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 14:46 British Summer Time 4 May14:46 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo Vinicius Junior is stopped in his tracks as he tries to get a shot away Jude Bellingham then fires an effort over the crossbar as the hosts try to take control of this game once again 110Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSUBSTITUTIONpublished at 14:42 British Summer Time 4 May14:42 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo 78Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 14:42 British Summer Time 4 May14:42 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo Jude Bellingham clips a ball into the path of Luka Modric but it is booted clear before it can reach the Real Madrid captain 42Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 14:39 British Summer Time 4 May14:39 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo hard shot looks to be squirming under Thibaut Courtois but he recover in time to get up and catch it before it goes into the net 206Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 14:38 British Summer Time 4 May14:38 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo Two Celta Vigo goals in seven minutes has made things very edgy 202Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingGOAL - Real Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigopublished at 14:35 British Summer Time 4 May14:35 BST 4 MayWilliot Swedberg (76 mins) Iago Aspas has been on the pitch for a minute but he doesn't take long to warm up as he lifts a ball into the path of fellow substitute Williot Swedberg who slots into the bottom corner 6815Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSUBSTITUTIONpublished at 14:34 British Summer Time 4 May14:34 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-1 Celta Vigo Iago Aspas comes on for Hugo Sotelo in another attacking alteration for Celta Vigo 42Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSUBSTITUTIONpublished at 14:33 British Summer Time 4 May14:33 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-1 Celta Vigo 32Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 14:33 British Summer Time 4 May14:33 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-1 Celta Vigo Vinicius Junior fires a shot into the side netting 33Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 14:32 British Summer Time 4 May14:32 BST 4 MayReal Madrid 3-1 Celta Vigo Jude Bellingham whips a cross into the box but none of his Real Madrid team-mates can get on the end of it and Yoel Lago clears the danger 31Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingprevious pagePage 1 of 212next pageImage source Real Madrid claimed their fourth La Liga win in a row Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Real Madrid held off a spirited Celta Vigo fightback to move back to within four points of La Liga leaders Barcelona before El Clasico next weekend Carlo Ancelotti's side took the lead in the 33rd minute when a short corner was worked to Arda Guler whose curling shot found the top corner via a slight deflection Mbappe doubled the advantage six minutes later with a thumping finish high past Celta goalkeeper Vicente Guaita at the end of a swift Madrid counter The France striker got his second three minutes into the second half as he ran on to Guler's excellent through ball to slot left-footed into the bottom corner But the visitors kept going and Javi Rodriguez pulled one back with a little over 20 minutes remaining with a close-range finish after Madrid failed to clear a corner What had looked like being a comfortable win suddenly became very tense when Celta legend Iago Aspas' pass matched his brilliant vision to set-up fellow substitute Williot Swedberg to make it 3-2 on 76 minutes Pablo Duran so nearly equalised two minutes later after being sent clear by another wonderful bit of skill from Aspas but home goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was able to recover after the initial shot squirmed under his body With the away side pushing for an equaliser there were chances at both ends in a frenetic finale but Los Blancos stood firm to claim a crucial three points Victory means defending champions Madrid head to Barcelona next Sunday knowing a fifth straight league win would leave them just a point behind their fierce rivals with three games remaining Celta stay seventh as they continue to fight for a European place After the opportunity to rate players has closed the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made substituted for Jacobo Ramón at 67 minutesNumber 14 substituted for Brahim Díaz at 83 minutesNumber 9 substituted for Iago Aspas at 75 minutesNumber 8 substituted for Hugo Álvarez at 54 minutesNumber 12 substituted for Pablo Durán at 65 minutesSubstitutesNumber 10 Hugo Álvarez Match OfficialsReferee: Jesús Gil ManzanoVideo Assistant Referee: Francisco José Hernández MaesoAssistant Referee 1: Ángel Nevado RodríguezAssistant Referee 2: Javier Carlos Martínez NicolásFourth Official: Víctor Pérez PerazaAssistant VAR Official: Alfredo Rodríguez MorenoMatch StatsKey Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. The Turkey midfielder and France forward combined to bail Carlo Ancelotti's side out as they stuck around in the title race Real Madrid stumbled to three thoroughly undeserved points on Sunday as Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe's individual quality bailed them out in a 3-2 home win over Celta Vigo the only player who could make things happen while his Madrid team-mated strolled around in his orbit Carlo Ancelotti tipped the winger for a more central role going forward - and it was easy to see why here as Guler danced around finding all of the right angles and pockets of space His wonderful left foot delivered the opener as he provided na curled effort into the top corner after 33 minutes following a painfully languid opening half an hour for Madrid as Frenchman dashed through on goal before battering the ball into the top corner when he slotted past a stranded goalkeeper after Guler's angled through ball Poor defending saw Madrid lose control of the game in the final 20 minutes as Lucas Vazquez's sloppy clearance off the line handed Javi Rodriguez a tap-in before Celta grabbed another when Iago Aspas found Williot Swedberg A Celta equaliser seemed inevitable as Aspas orchestrated in the final third but it never quite came off for the visitors and Madrid secured a victory that they didn't really deserve and that keeps them four points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona ahead of next week's crucial Clasico GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Santiago Bernabeu.. Arda Guler wants to end the campaign on a positive note to show whoever is in charge whether it's Carlo Ancelotti or someone else Guler played 83 minutes in the 3-2 win over Celta Vigo on Sunday at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and the Turkish standout scored one goal and recorded one assist for Los Blancos MORE: Transcript: Carlo Ancelotti’s Post-Match Press Conference After Real Madrid’s Win 💎 pic.twitter.com/4mpa5y0Y2E We are very happy to get the three points before such an important match We started the game very well with the 3–0 lead 🙏 Thank you, Madridistas! pic.twitter.com/MFmDVLJvX4 Guler did comment on his goal and assist for his two goal contributions to the win Here's what the promising player had to say about that: we always work on these shots after training I'm very happy to have scored with such a beautiful strike.. I don't think the assist to Mbappe was anything special—he made a great run and I just found him well Transcript: Carlo Ancelotti’s Post-Match Press Conference After Real Madrid’s Win Real Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo: Report And Full Match Highlights From Los Blancos’ Win Real Madrid Identify Three Summer Targets To Strengthen At Left-Back [Report] Hansi Flick Reveals How Lamine Yamal Can Become Like Cristiano Ronaldo Or Lionel Messi How to watch La Liga match between Real Madrid and Celta Vigo Real Madrid will look to keep their fading title hopes alive when they welcome a confident Celta Vigo side to the Bernabéu on Sunday Carlo Ancelotti's men currently trail arch-rivals Barcelona by four points in the La Liga standings every match now carries knockout-level importance who have quietly climbed to seventh in the table are eyeing a late surge into the European qualification spots for 2025-26 Los Blancos enter this clash off the back of a turbulent fortnight first crashing out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage then suffering heartbreak in the Copa del Rey final as Barcelona edged them 3-2 in a fiery showdown in Seville That result means Madrid are still chasing silverware in a season that promised plenty with their last outing a dominant 3-0 dismantling of Villarreal at Balaidos It was the kind of performance that suggests Claudio Giraldez 's men are hitting form at just the right time especially considering they've tallied 99 goals across all competitions this campaign GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch Check out GOAL's Live Match Centre for updates If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport La Liga match between Real Madrid and Celta Vigo will be played at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid It will kick off at 5:00 am PT / 8:00 am ET on Sunday Injuries continue to pile up for Madrid, with defensive mainstays Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, and Antonio Rudiger all ruled out for the rest of the season. Eduardo Camavinga also joins the treatment table due to an adductor issue. There is, however, some relief, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe are fit despite recent knocks, while Jude Bellingham is available after having his red card overturned from the Copa final. Lucas Vázquez, however, begins serving a suspension, but that will only apply to next season's cup competition. With options limited at the back, Aurelien Tchouameni is likely to continue filling in at centre-half next to Raul Asencio, with Fran Garcia and Vazquez flanking them. Up top, Rodrygo might be dropped amid swirling speculation about his future. Celta are in relatively good health. Defender Carl Starfelt remains out with a hamstring issue, and Jones El-Abdellaoui is a doubt with a thigh complaint. That aside, boss Claudio Giráldez should have the rest of his squad fit and firing. A slight shuffle could see Ilaix Moriba replace Fran Beltran in midfield. Despite scoring a late penalty last time out, veteran striker Iago Aspas may again be used as a super-sub, with Alfon Gonzalez, Fer Lopez, and Borja Iglesias set to lead the line from the start. BetaAskNever miss a moment with Real MadridSign up for the latest news, match updates, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox every Monday. The Spanish forward then stunned the home fans when he scored two more goals in the second half in identical circumstances racing through to beat the keeper on his way to a hat trick But Barca's Dani Olmo and Raphinha soon netted four minutes apart to draw level at 3-3 Celta held on but conceded a late penalty for a foul on Olmo with Raphinha stepping up to fire the ball into the top corner in the 98th minute But Barca's Dani Olmo and Raphinha soon netted four minutes apart to draw level at 3-3 Real Madrid ensured the gap to leaders Barcelona remained at four points ahead of next week's Clasico after beating Celta Vigo on Sunday Kylian Mbappe scored twice to help Real Madrid keep the pressure on LaLiga leaders Barcelona following a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Celta Vigo on Sunday Madrid remain four points behind Hansi Flick's team with four games of their respective league seasons remaining Carlo Ancelotti's side got themselves ahead in the 33rd minute when a short corner routine saw Arda Guler pick out the top-left corner with a stunning curling effort Mbappe doubled the hosts' lead six minutes later when he collected Jude Bellingham's pass before ending a driving run with another fine finish past Vicente Guaita The French international grabbed his brace three minutes after the break racing in behind after Guler's defence-splitting ball before sending a left-footed finish home But Celta Vigo reduced the deficit in the 69th minute when Javi Rodriguez finished from close range after Hugo Sotelo's neat flick from a corner was cleared off the line The visitors threatened a nervy finish at the Santiago Bernabeu when substitute Williot Swedberg rounded off a fine passing move with a smart finish past Thibaut Courtois Pablo Duran almost completed the turnaround soon after but saw his shot saved by Courtois but Madrid were able to hold on to seal an important three points Data Debrief: Mbappe closing in on Madrid record After a difficult start to his time in the Spanish capital Mbappe has certainly found his feet in what has been an outstanding debut season for Los Blancos the 26-year-old has now scored 24 goals in 30 games in LaLiga this season Only Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009-10 (26) and Ruud Van Nistelrooy in 2006-07 (25) have scored more in their first campaign with Madrid in the competition in the 21st century He now has 36 goals in all competitions and is one shy of Ivan Zamorano's record haul of 37 for a Madrid player in their first season at the club And who better to net his record-clinching goal than Barcelona Kylian Mbappe got his name on the scoresheet twice Real Madrid got back to business as they returned to the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu with a 3-2 victory over Celta Vigo on Sunday afternoon as Arda Güler scored the opener before a Kylian Mbappé double seemed to wrap up the home win Javier Rodríguez’s tapped in from a corner and Iago Aspas was then introduced to set up Williot Swedberg for 3-2 on 76 minutes with Celta making Real Madrid sweat to seal the three points How would the defence get on with so many injuries David Alaba and Ferland Mendy were all unavailable for this game and arguably make up the list of Real Madrid’s five strongest defenders The line-up put out saw Lucas Vázquez start on the right with Aurélien Tchouameni and Raúl Asencio in the middle and Fran García on the left looking to catch out Raúl Asencio in particular with Borja Iglesias running in behind Celta Vigo really threatened Real Madrid very little Thibaut Courtois was called into some good saves but many of those were caused by fortunate deflections or rapid counter-attacks which Real Madrid could do little to prevent The duo of Asencio and Tchouameni looked to work well even though things went downhill after Ancelotti opted to give Jacobo Ramón a La Liga debut on 67 minutes with Javi Rodríguez tapping in as the most alert man at a corner and Williot Swedberg again looking more energetic than the Real Madrid backline to add a second seven minutes later The lesson: Real Madrid have a back four which can compete but they can't risk any further changes or any complacency Would this Celta Vigo be a trickier opponent than in the previous 21 meetings Real Madrid hadn’t lost to Celta Vigo in 21 consecutive league meetings Real Madrid’s longest such record against any team 20 of those 22 games had ended with a Real Madrid win and scoring in all 22 meetings with an average of 3.2 goals per game it has been almost two decades since Celta Vigo won at the Bernabéu which came in November 2006 with Fabio Capello in the dugout pushing for European qualification and in reasonable form in recent weeks but Real Madrid got the job done and extended their strong run of form against the Galicians Could Real Madrid keep the pressure on Barcelona before the season-defining Clásico Saturday night saw Barcelona struggle to come back from behind to eventually secure a 2-1 win over already-relegated Real Valladolid so a win was needed to keep the points gap at four points One of the concerns coming into the game would have been the number of Real Madrid players who were one yellow card away from suspension Aurélien Tchouameni and Dani Ceballos all start with that situation but all three avoided seeing yellow from referee Jesús Gil Manzano Perhaps more fortunate on that front was Jude Bellingham who was shown a yellow card from a high challenge on the halfway line in the first half Add in the fact that Kylian Mbappé looked to be back to his clinical best and Carlo Ancelotti may be feeling more optimistic now than he was before this fixture Should we have seen Arda Güler earlier this season One of the few bright sparks of recent weeks has been the form of Arda Güler since he came into the team and operated in this more central role where he has looked far more at home than when previously deployed wide on the right By scoring the first goal with a daring shot from a wide angle with only 0.02 xG he added life to a tie which looked to be lacking inspiration and then went on to assist Kylian Mbappé and have other chances himself He generated more chances than any other player on the field with four Playing deeper on the right and then looking to cut inside into the box in more central areas this newfound role for him is working well and allowing the Turkish youngster to show what he’s capable of on the ball and with some smart movement on it There are no longer signs of defensive weaknesses or fitness issues and it begs the question of why Real Madrid have waited so long to unleash him Is there a chance Kylian Mbappé could end the season as Pichichi Mbappé has a real chance of catching Lewandowski and securing the Pichichi for himself Are we gearing up for the end of Luka Modrić it was thought possible that Luka Modrić would come in for a start at the Bernabéu on Sunday Dani Ceballos only just working his way back into the action it seemed a reasonable opportunity to field the captain in midfield it seems that the victim of Arda Güler’s rise is the Croatian veteran Heading into the final two months of his contract as a Real Madrid player each time Modrić makes his way off the bench it becomes increasingly more of a testimonial feel With a new coach almost certain to arrive this summer it seems that they could do so without Modrić on the scene His farewell to the Bernabéu looks almost certain to be in only two games’ time when Real Sociedad visit to wrap up the season at the Bernabéu on May 25th Real Madrid beat Celta Vigo 3-2 through brilliant performances from Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler in LaLiga on Sunday afternoon They were able to win the match which they were leading by three goals but a late surge from Celta and many lapses in focus from Real Madrid meant they had to work very hard to defend for the last 10 or so minutes They went ahead after a brilliant opener from Guler who had a far-post finish from the edge of the box Mbappe broke forward in a scathing counter-attack and scored a brilliant second They conceded two goals in a very short amount of time late in the second half Real Madrid were able to just about take the three points before the big match against Barcelona in a week's time Barcelona had won the match against Real Valladolid Great performance from Courtois who had a few really good saves in both halves to keep Real Madrid in the game initially He had a brilliant save that resulted in a Real Madrid goal just 10 seconds after did not do much on either side of the pitch He had a good game in the first half but that was mainly because he did not have to defend all that much after the 15th minute Solid performance from Asencio who got an ovation from the crowd when he was subbed off for Jacobo Ramon He had a few really good challenges over the course of the game Struggled a tiny bit in the last few minutes but an incredible defensive shift from Tchouameni all day What a level he has hit over the last few months Made those darting runs that everyone loves from him and had so many last-second interventions in the defensive end Played the ball very well and passed it around to his teammates in a tidy manner although got an assist for the brilliant Mbappe goal but just not anywhere near the standards he has set for himself but still not playing the same way he did before the injury and hopefully the Spaniard keeps improving Absolutely brilliant. A beautiful goal in the first half, followed by an Ozil-esque assist in the second, Guler's impact was felt by every soul at the Bernabeu. Has Xabi Alonso's reported trust and he just needs to keep playing more and more Two really well-taken goals - the first one from long distance - but it was not just that resulting in him winning possession many times He also tracked back and defended in the last few minutes Shooting was a bit wayward from the Brazilian Needs to improve massively for the Clasico Passed the ball well but struggled sometimes when Celta had their late resurgence Came on in the final 15 and controlled proceedings © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands Absolutely brilliant. A beautiful goal in the first half, followed by an Ozil-esque assist in the second, Guler's impact was felt by every soul at the Bernabeu. Has Xabi Alonso's reported trust Will Jude Bellingham Play Against Celta de Vigo Here's What We KnowJude Bellingham is on track to be included in Real Madrid’s squad for their upcoming LaLiga EA Sports clash against Celta de Vigo May 4 at 14:00 CEST at the Santiago Bernabéu Despite not training with the group on Friday sources from the club confirmed to EFE that there is no concern over his availability The English midfielder followed an individual training program at Valdebebas working away from the pitch under a load management plan He is expected to rejoin the full squad in Saturday’s training and Antonio Rüdiger all remain unavailable and Camavinga were present at Valdebebas for recovery work but are definitively ruled out for Sunday Given the long injury list — especially in defense — Carlo Ancelotti has called up youth players Jacobo Ramón (center-back) and Youssef "Yusi" (left-back) Both trained with the first team on Friday and are expected to be part of the squad against Celta Real Madrid will return to training on Saturday at 11:00 CEST after which Carlo Ancelotti will hold his pre-match press conference It will be his first public appearance amid recent speculation regarding his future with rumors linking him to Brazil’s national team and a potential move to Saudi Arabia after the Club World Cup later this year following their heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final last week Carlo Ancelotti's team sit second in the league table four points behind Hansi Flick's Barcelona with five games remaining in the season just two points ahead of Osasuna and Mallorca as they hope to play European football next season Los Blancos have won their last nine league games against Celta Vigo Their last league defeat to Os Celestes was over 10 years ago here are five classic matches between Real Madrid and Celta Vigo IMAGO / Cordon Press/Miguelez SportsOn the penultimate matchday of the 2017-2018 La Liga season Los Blancos thumped Os Celestes 6-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu Zinédine Zidane's team took a commanding three-goal lead after 30 minutes thanks to a Gareth Bale brace (13' Sergi Gómez's own goal and Toni Kroos added two more goals to end the rout IMAGO / AFLOSPORTReal Madrid thrashed Celta Vigo 7-1 at the Bernabéu in the 2015-2016 season as Cristiano Ronaldo scored four goals second-half goals Portuguese center-back Pepe opened the scoring for Los Blancos (41') Madrid scored six times; Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace in the first 10 minutes of the second half (50' 58') before Iago Aspas cut the deficit Ronaldo made it 4-1 with his 26th goal of the season before securing his fourth goal two late goals from substitutes Jesé and Gareth Bale made it 7-1 in the dying minutes of the game Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid took down Os Celestes in a six-goal thriller at the Balaídos Nolito opened the scoring and gave an early lead to the hosts after nine minutes two consecutive goals from Toni Kroos (16') and Chicharito (24') led to Los Blancos but Santi Mina quickly leveled the score (28') James Rodriguez made it 3-2 for Madrid before halftime (44') Chicharito sealed the win for the visitors as he secured a brace for himself (69') IMAGO / ZUMA Press WireOn their path to a 34th La Liga title Real Madrid were held to a 2-2 draw by relegation-threatened Celta Vigo at the Santiago Bernabéu Fedor Smolov scored early to give his side the lead Los Blancos stormed back in the second half and scored twice through Toni Kroos (52') and Sergio Ramos (65') from the spot to take the lead Santi Mina tied the game to secure an essential point for the visitors IMAGO / ZUMA Press WireAt the start of the 2021-2022 La Liga season Los Blancos scored five past Celta Vigo as Karim Benzema bagged a hat-trick in his Ballon d'Or campaign Os Celestes struck early as Santi Mina opened the scoring inside four minutes Karim Benzema tied the game after 24 minutes but the visitors quickly regained their lead through Franco Cervi (31') Los Blancos surged back in the second half scoring twice in 10 minutes through Benzema (46') and Vinicius Junior (55') to take their first lead Camavinga (72') and Benzema (87') from the penalty spot sealed the win for the hosts Real Madrid Eyes Kylian Mbappe-Style Move For PSG's Latest Star [Report] Jude Bellingham Thanks David Beckham While Wishing Him A Happy 50th Birthday Former Real Madrid And Brazilian Forward Warns Endrick About Agreeing To Loan Deal who play bottom of the table Real Valladolid anything but a win would be a disaster in their title bid Los Blancos' last game came in the Copa del Rey final against their title rivals they played well in the second half and looked to be on for a famous win 🦵 @ViniJr🦵 @LucasVazquez91 pic.twitter.com/6inU7JOzva The previous three league games have seen Real Madrid win 1-0 over Alaves A fourth clean sheet would be some achievement given their defensive injuries with zero players from the starting back four available Os Celestes managed a massive 3-0 win over 10-man Villareal one of those a 4-3 defeat to Barcelona when leading 3-1 Celta are looking to grab a Europa League spot or at least a Europa Conference League spot and a win against Real would help massively They have faced each other twice this season; the reverse game at the Estadio de Balaídos finished 2-1 They also met in the Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey Here are the last five La Liga results between the two games Carlo Ancelotti is stretched at the defensive positions with the latest injuries to Antonio Rudiger It means plenty of young players on the bench with Aurélien Tchouaméni likely dropping back into center-back for the game It was announced earlier today that Rodrygo would not be in the squad and he has taken part in all the training sessions this week Brahim Diaz is slated as the player who could start in his place 📋✅ Our squad for the match! 🆚 @RCCeltaEN pic.twitter.com/EUSRKWhkwB Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo: Predicted Lineup For La Liga Match Los Blancos managed to keep the pressure up on Barcelona courtesy of the win Arda Guler opened the scoring in the 33rd minute before goals from Kylian Mbappe on each side of the half (39' broke through a Real Madrid defense that has been fragile throughout the season Javi Rodriguez (69') and Williot Swedberg (76') scored for the away side to make it 3-2 Carlo Ancelotti's side got the job done and they have now picked four wins in their last five league games The game was evenly poised as both teams had their fair share of possession Carlo Ancelotti's side completed 605 passes compared to Celta's 519 Real Madrid now have 75 points from 34 matches The title race is heating up with only four games to go in the season Next up for Real Madrid is the El Clasico against Barcelona on May 11 The game could potentially turn out to be a title decider Los Blancos can close the gap on Barcelona but a defeat could serve as an end to their hopes of winning the league this season looking to stay in touch with Barcelona with five games remaining is Celta Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu on May 4 It's been a tough week for injuries for Los Blancos and Ferland Mendy all out for the season's final five games The hope is that Rudiger and Alaba can return for the FIFA Club World Cup 💪 @ViniJr💪 @BellinghamJude pic.twitter.com/BU8RjPK8IG Carlo Ancelotti has announced the squad for the game It's not known why he does not make it Brahim Diaz or Arda Guler could get the start of the game The defense is full of youth and inexperience due to the injuries Los Blancos are currently second in the table with 72 points from 33 matches They are four points behind league leaders Barcelona Carlo Ancelotti's team need a win to keep the pressure up on Barca The Italian manager spoke to the media ahead of the game. Read on to know what he said (via Real Madrid) They came close to beating Barcelona not long ago and they're very well drilled We've had a week to prepare for it and we'll produce our best in tomorrow's game It's an important one in the fight for the league title We're focused on the present and on the games we've got coming up and we'll do that until the final second of the final game and we're not thinking about anything else we believe we can still put out a good team and win tomorrow's game Ancelotti: The goal is to prepare well for tomorrow's game and win it It gives us the chance to put up a good fight in the title race Ancelotti: I've spoken to the president and the club It left a bitter taste because of how close we came Everyone saw that the team did a great job It's a real blow to lose like that at the end but I have nothing negative to say about the team Q: On Jesus Vallejo's chances of playing Ancelotti: From a professional perspective it's been a more difficult season than usual of course compared to the previous campaign which was pretty much perfect We've had issues which we've tried to address over the course of the season but there are five games left and anything can happen we have to try and win every game and see what happens Right now it doesn't look like a great season but if you're able to win that can turn into a good season pretty quickly he'll have a bigger role to play in the future I think he's going to be a fantastic central midfielder because he has a great understanding of the game and sets the pace well He'll be a very important player for Real Madrid in the future because there aren't many players around with his kind of profile Ancelotti: My analysis is that we've really improved defensively We've kept clean sheets and that means we've improved we've lost a little bit of an edge up top Ancelotti: I have a great relationship with the club We don't pay much attention to the information that comes out Ancelotti: I don't know what's going to happen and the club has always treated me brilliantly There will never be a falling-out between me and the club There never has been and I don't intend for that to change on my last day I understand you want to discuss my future It's a lack of communication between us And I won't be discussing my future today and I'll speak about my future on the 25th Journalist Claims Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti 'Fed Up' With Brazil's FA Real Madrid will look to keep their fading La Liga title hopes alive when they welcome Celta Vigo to the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday afternoon every point is crucial as Los Blancos trail league leaders Barcelona by four points Carlo Ancelotti’s men have strung together three consecutive wins in La Liga and now have their sole focusing on domestic duties following their Champions League exit Celta Vigo remain in the hunt for European football next season Two defeats in their last three games have cast doubt over their Champions League ambitions The hosts will take confidence from their strong record against Celta Vigo at the Bernabeu having won their last five encounters at home Madrid have also outscored Celta Vigo 7-3 across their two meetings this season making them clear favourites heading into this clash 👟 @Brahim x @FedeeValverde 💥 pic.twitter.com/HoGAB9Uo3s Real Madrid face a mounting injury crisis ahead of their crucial La Liga clash with Celta Vigo with several key players ruled out for the remainder of the season Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao are both sidelined with long-term knee injuries and Antonio Rudiger have also seen their campaigns cut short due to fitness issues Also Read: Antonio Rudiger Handed Six-Game Ban, but Jude Bellingham’s Red Card Overturned, Know Why Celta Vigo head to the Santiago Bernabeu with only two injury concerns giving them a largely full-strength squad to choose from Carl Starfelt remains sidelined with a hamstring issue while Jones El-Abdellaoui is a doubt due to a lingering thigh problem covering everything from match analysis to transfer buzz and tactical deep dives soccer has been more than just a sport to me—it’s been an obsession Playing and watching the game from a young age fueled my passion eventually leading me into the world of sports media and betting I get to analyze the sport I love and bring the latest updates to fans worldwide The best part of my job is staying as close as possible to the beautiful game From the intensity of matchdays to the drama of the transfer market To all the readers out there — soccer is unpredictable and often heartbreaking just like our lives Get the biggest stories delivered straight to you - 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