Real Madrid started the season more hesitant than expected against newly promoted Almería, a team with speed to go on the counterattack, daring to handle the ball and order when defending. However, this is how big teams solve stuck games, in the small details. Real Madrid dominated, but came to suffer with the departures of the Andalusian team. Despite having to trail for much of the match, a goal from Lucas Vázquez in a messy play and a free kick against the squad by recently joined David Alaba were enough to give the Whites the first three points. They will look for the next three in one of their fetish stadiums, Balaídos.
Celta de Vigo will receive one of their black beasts in recent times, a Real Madrid that usually demonstrates its maximum potential in the Galician city. In these confrontations, goals are not usually lacking, thanks to the daring and purposeful style of both teams. This match, corresponding to the second day of La Liga, will be played on Saturday, August 20, at 10:00 p.m. (Spanish time). It can be seen live through DAZN LaLiga. You can also follow minute by minute on the La Vanguardia website.
The madridistas arrive as favorites to a duel that always tends to provide a spectacle. After the rotations in the first league match, it is expected that Carlo Ancelotti will once again give players such as Éder Militao, David Alaba or Luka Modric a place in the eleven, pending what happens with Casemiro and the interest of Manchester United in his hiring. The signings, Antonio Rüdiger and Aurélien Tchouaméni, already know what it's like to play in La Liga. The first did not have the best of debuts. In Almería's goal play he is not aware of the mark and Largie Ramazani throws a too comfortable unmarking. He is used to forming in defense of three, where you always find yourself more protected. The second was more participatory, precise with the ball and impressive in stealing.
This Real Madrid continues its identity from last season. The game turns to the left side, with the pivot advancing and Toni Kroos appearing on that side to start and connect with Vinicius Júnior and Karim Benzema. The center of the field is always very crowded, thanks to the presence of Fede Valverde as a false right winger. That will be one of the keys to the confrontation against Celta: what approach will Eduardo Coudet have to stop the flow of Madrid through the middle. Last week, Fran Beltrán was the only pure pivot. The entry of Renato Tapia, more specialized in defense and physically powerful, improved the team and could be one of the solutions to provide balance and solidity against the white team.
The Vigueses premiered with a convincing performance that they ended up spoiling in the last moments. They went 2-0 up, with goals from Iago Aspas and the recently signed Gonçalo Paciencia, and ended up losing the tie. As if that were not enough, two former sportsmen were the authors of the goals for Espanyol: Edu Expósito and Joselu Mato. The signings complete a squad that should overcome its irregularity and its dependence on Aspas. His first litmus test, on Saturday at Balaídos against Real Madrid.
