Real Madrid secured a hard-fought victory on their visit to Balaídos, defeating Celta de Vigo 2-1, thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, as well as crucial saves from Thibaut Courtois. This match was part of Matchday 10 of LaLiga in Spain, just ahead of their upcoming clash with Barcelona.
The game began at a fast pace, with Celta aiming to exploit their attackers’ speed to challenge their opponents. Despite the absence of their key player Iago Aspas, Celta maintained their attacking style and pushed Real Madrid, prompting Carlo Ancelotti to continuously adjust his defense from the sidelines.
Early on, Celta dictated the tempo and created the first chance to score, but Courtois denied Swedish player Williot Swedberg in a one-on-one situation. Celta’s solid defense effectively contained Madrid and prevented them from launching their potent counterattacks. However, a mistake by Mingueza, who claimed a foul, led to a dangerous counter for Madrid, but Vicente Guaita managed to thwart Fede Valverde’s effort.
Madrid struggled to find their rhythm and lacked depth in attack until Kylian Mbappé broke the deadlock. Despite not being at his peak form, the Frenchman proved decisive by unleashing a powerful shot from the edge of the area that left Guaita with no chance.
The halftime break seemed to disrupt Real Madrid’s momentum, as they entered the second half without intensity and quickly paid the price for a defensive lapse, allowing Swedberg to score and equalize. Ten minutes later, Ancelotti responded by bringing on Modric and Rodrygo, and within moments, the Croatian delivered a brilliant pass that set up Vinícius for the go-ahead goal, which Guaita managed to touch but couldn’t prevent.
Celta remained undeterred after falling behind, with Mingueza leading their offensive efforts as they continued to pressure Madrid. They had two significant chances to level the score, but Courtois made a vital save against Bamba, and Mingueza’s subsequent shot went narrowly wide.
Giráldez also made adjustments to his lineup to introduce fresh legs, aiming to increase Celta’s speed against Madrid’s defense. However, as the game progressed, Celta’s energy waned, and in stoppage time, Tasos Douvikas nearly equalized but was unable to connect properly with a cross from Durán, sending the ball wide.