Real Madrid is no longer there for the League but this Saturday at the Bernabéu they imposed themselves on Celta with skill and solvency, who paid for their initial conservatism and had no resources to get into the game when it went uphill. With five starting changes compared to those who won in London, including Kroos and Modric, a low-intensity march was enough for the whites in a game that was played mainly in midfield because Celta advanced the line a lot defensive and locked the game until it turned into a thick duel. The victory places Ancelotti's men 8 points behind Barça with one more game.
The first part was especially boring. Madrid did not give the ball speed and did not know how to create chances. Celta forgot about Courtois and contented themselves with short-circuiting the whites' game.
With Vinícius somewhat off in his duel with Kevin, Madrid circled Iván Villar's area but without really worrying him because he was not sharp in the last pass, with Ceballos imprecise and Tchouaméni very slow, a true diesel. The Whites finished off several times from outside the area but with a very misaligned aim.
When everything pointed to going to the break with zero to zero, Madrid found the goal in a defensive neglect by Celta, the only one in the first half. In minute 42, after a recovery by Camavinga, the most active of the locals, Ceballos served a ball to Vinícius and he assisted Asensio, who kicked with his left foot to bring the score to 1-0.
If the goal had taken a long time in the first act, in the second it came after two minutes, a corner that Militão headed very well and that already put the game where Madrid wanted, with Celta forced to open up and the whites more interested in the against that in managing the game,
Benzema headed the third but Villar avoided it with a great save. Celta tried, now with control of the ball. Carvalhal removed Gabri Veiga, who had said very little, despite the expectations with which he came and his team did not even have more gunpowder. Vinícius had some counter to crush and Courtois scored a goal from Aspas in the other great save of the night.
With a quarter of an hour to go, Ancelotti's changes arrived to give breaks. Vinícius and Ceballos left and Rodrygo and Modric entered, who received the best ovation at the Bernabéu.
Rodrygo was not as successful as in London and missed a clear goal pass. Tchouaméni took a tremendous blow to the face and the game died with Madrid in the Celta area, looking for one more goal, already with little faith. With the head more in the final of the Cup and the City. The team sleeps eight points behind Barcelona.
