Following Barcelona`s recent victory over Valladolid, Real Madrid finds themselves under pressure to secure a win against Celta Vigo in order to maintain their challenge in La Liga. A successful outcome against Celta Vigo would reduce the deficit to four points ahead of their significant fixture on May 11th. This season has been tumultuous for Real Madrid; failure to win this match or the upcoming El Clásico could render the La Liga title out of reach, with Barcelona currently in a strong position.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti is not only dealing with the widely expected end-of-season departure but also facing squad challenges due to suspensions and injuries. David Alaba is unavailable for the rest of the season. Additionally, Antonio Rudiger has been handed a six-match suspension for an incident involving the referee, which concludes his Real Madrid season and means he will miss the opening match of the next campaign.
Match Information
- Date: Sunday, May 4
- Time: 8 a.m. ET
- Location: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu — Madrid, Spain
- Live Stream: ESPN+
- Odds: Real Madrid -250; Draw +425; Celta Vigo +550
Last Meeting
In their last encounter in the Copa del Rey, Celta Vigo pushed Real Madrid hard before succumbing in extra time after conceding three goals unanswered. Real had established a 2-0 advantage but allowed Celta to level the score with two goals after the 83rd minute, including a penalty converted by Marcos Alonso. However, Federico Valverde and Endrick delivered crucial performances in extra time to send Real Madrid through to the next round. Although Real Madrid later lost the Copa del Rey final to Barcelona, this particular victory stood out as a positive moment in their season.
Coach`s Comments
Given the open secret of Ancelotti`s likely departure from Real Madrid at the season`s conclusion, he commented on his future ahead of the Celta clash. Ancelotti stated he would not reveal his next destination until May 25th, after the season ends. Despite being under contract until 2026, it is anticipated that he will reach an agreement with Real Madrid to terminate his contract after this season. Ancelotti expressed strong affection and respect for the club, his players, and the fanbase, deferring any discussion about his future until the specified date. The expectation remains that Ancelotti will take on the Brazil national team job, although the timing relative to the Club World Cup this summer is unclear.
Predicted Lineups
Real Madrid:
- Thibaut Courtois
- Fran Garcia
- Raul Asencio
- Aurelien Tchouameni
- Lucas Vazquez
- Jude Bellingham
- Dani Ceballos
- Arda Guler
- Federico Valverde
- Kylian Mbappe
- Vinicius Junior
Celta Vigo:
- Vicente Guaita
- Sergio Carreira
- Javi Rodriguez
- Yoel Lago
- Marcos Alonso
- Oscar Mingueza
- Williot Swedberg
- Ilaix Moriba
- Fran Beltran
- Pablo Duran
- Borja Iglesias
Player Spotlight
Aurelien Tchouameni, Real Madrid: While Real Madrid has conceded fewer goals than Barcelona this season, their scoring output is nearly 30 goals less than their rivals. This highlights the critical importance of their defense maintaining a solid performance. Los Blancos have allowed goals in four of their last six matches. Without Antonio Rudiger, the defense faces a stern challenge keeping Borja Iglesias off the scoresheet. Rudiger`s physicality and ability to provoke opponents will be missed. Playing potentially out of position alongside a young partner like Asencio, Tchouameni will need to step up significantly.
Key Narrative
Can Real Madrid mount a comeback? In La Liga, there`s a palpable back-and-forth psychological battle between Barcelona and Real Madrid, often depending on which team plays first each week. While Real Madrid might need Barcelona to drop points elsewhere, they absolutely must not overlook Celta Vigo. Celta is a team capable of causing problems if given the opportunity. With Rudiger unavailable, Celta Vigo may feel more confident in pushing forward.
Prediction
With Jude Bellingham available following the successful appeal of his red card, Real Madrid`s attack is bolstered. Alongside Kylian Mbappe, they are expected to apply significant pressure on Celta`s defense. Even if Real concedes, they are likely to score enough to secure the win, keeping the pressure on Barcelona in the league standings ahead of their direct confrontation next week.
Pick: Real Madrid 2, Celta Vigo 1
Dominic Ashworth