In dire need of three points, Real Madrid are headed to the Estadio Abanca-Balaídos to take on Celta Vigo on Friday evening.
The 15-time European champions come into the fixture off the back of two consecutive league defeats, which sent their La Liga title push into a tailspin. Now trailing Barcelona by four points, Los Blancos cannot afford another slip up if they want to steal the Spanish crown from their bitter rivals come May.
A win against Celta Vigo would lower the panic alarm sounding in the Spanish capital, but Claudio Giráldez’s side is more than capable of playing spoiler. In fact, they already defeated Real Madrid 2–0 in the reverse fixture, a result that sparked the talk of crisis at the Bernabéu.
The hosts are also in high spirits after advancing to the Europa League round of 16, and have only lost two of their last 16 matches across all competitions. Celta Vigo will hope to add Real Madrid to their list of victims, while Álvaro Arbeloa’s men will be desperate to get back to winning ways.
Here’s Sports Illustrated’s guide to the La Liga bout.
Celta Vigo vs. Real Madrid Score Prediction
Injury-Riddled Los Blancos Stumble for Third Consecutive La Liga Match
In the past, Real Madrid would be a shoo-in to bounce back from two poor defeats with an emphatic victory, especially against an inferior opponent. But these days, Los Blancos look more like the inferior opponent, and a long list of absentees is not going to help their case.
To make matters worse, the Spanish giants already gave Celta Vigo the blueprint to beating them back in December. With the backing of the home crowd, the confidence of their previous win and their five-game unbeaten run on the line, Giráldez’s men are hardly the underdogs on Friday, even if they appear that way on paper.
With Manchester City arriving in Madrid next week, the visitors will want to put in an impressive dress rehearsal to get some swagger back ahead of the Champions League bout. Real Madrid have players capable of getting on the scoresheet, but their vulnerable backline will allow Celta Vigo to find enough success to salvage what will ultimately be a disappointing result.
- Head-to-head record: Real Madrid enjoyed a 19-game unbeaten streak against Celta Vigo before their December defeat snapped that run. Historically, the Spanish giants have comfortably dominated the matchup.
- Mbappé Dependency: Los Blancos rely too heavily on their leading goalscorer to find the back of the net and bail them out of close games. Seven of the team’s nine defeats this season came in games that Mbappé failed to score in, whether he was on the pitch or stuck on the sidelines.
- Celta Vigo’s Consistency: If there’s one thing Celta Vigo do well, it’s get on the scoresheet. They have only been blanked four times in 39 matches across all competitions this season.
Prediction: Celta Vigo 2–2 Real Madrid
Celta Vigo Predicted Lineup vs. Real Madrid
Giráldez receives a major boost with the return of Borja Iglesias. The striker, who was suspended last time out against Girona, is back available and in line to lead Celta Vigo’s attack, pushing Ferran Jutglà to the right wing. Iglesias comes into the fixture with 14 goals in 35 appearances this season.
Carl Starfelt and Marcos Alonso face late fitness tests for Friday’s clash. Both players missed out at the weekend due to minor issues, and how quickly they recover could decide whether they feature against Real Madrid or spend another game on the sidelines.
Should the two defenders miss out on a place in the XI, expect Javi Rodríguez, Joseph Aidoo and Carlos Domínguez to make up Giráldez’s backline for the second consecutive match.
Pablo Durán, meanwhile, is ruled out of the match due to a knee injury.
Celta Vigo predicted lineup vs. Real Madrid (3-4-3): Radu; Rodríguez, Aidoo, Domínguez; Rueda, Román, Moriba, Carreira; Jutglà, Iglesias, Álvarez.
For the second consecutive game, Arbeloa is unable to call on leading goalscorer Kylian Mbappé. The Frenchman is once again out with a knee injury, leaving the door open for Gonzalo García to take his place alongside Vinicius Junior up top.
Rodrygo, who tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee on Monday, joins long-term absentees Jude Bellingham, Éder Militão, Dani Ceballos and most recently, David Alaba in the infirmary. Raúl Asencio is also nursing a neck injury, but he is in line to start if he recovers in time for Friday.
Eduardo Camavinga is another doubt after missing the Getafe match due to a toothache. The Frenchman will start if he makes the trip to Vigo, unlike the suspended Dean Huijsen, Franco Mastantuono and Álvaro Carreras.
Real Madrid predicted lineup vs. Celta Vigo (4-4-2): Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Rüdiger, F. García; Valverde, Güler, Tchouaméni, Camavinga; Gonzalo, Vinicius Junior.
What Time Does Real Madrid vs. Celta Vigo Kick Off?
- Location: Vigo, Spain
- Stadium: Estadio Abanca-Balaídos
- Date: Friday, March 6
- Kick-off Time: 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. GMT
How to Watch Celta Vigo vs. Real Madrid on TV, Live Stream
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Country |
TV/Live Stream |
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United States |
ESPN Deportes, ESPN Select, ESPN App, fuboTV |
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United Kingdom |
Premier Sports 1 |
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Canada |
TSN+ |
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Mexico |
Sky Sports Mexico, Sky+, izzi |
