Celta Vigo 1-2 Real Madrid: Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior help Los Blancos to secure win as unbeaten run goes on - Eurosport
Vinicius Junior netted the decisive goal, leading Real Madrid to a 2-1 triumph over Celta Vigo in a closely contested La Liga match.
Madrid appeared to be far from their typical form before Kylian Mbappe delivered a moment of magic, putting them ahead in the 20th minute. The goal arrived after Williot Swedberg squandered two excellent opportunities for the home team, with Thibaut Courtois stopping his second attempt.
Nevertheless, Celta was ultimately rewarded for their hard work in the second half when the young player Swedberg seized his chance to equalize the match.
Madrid appeared rattled after conceding the equalizer, but the entry of substitute Luka Modric brought some stability. With only his second touch, Modric set up Vinicius, who confidently slotted the ball past the goalkeeper to secure the victory.
Celta almost gave their visitors one last scare when substitute Anastasios Douvikas met a cross in the box during the final moments, but he sent his shot off target.
Carlo Ancelotti has some tasks ahead if Madrid wants to keep their streak of not losing at home against Borussia Dortmund this week and against Barcelona in the upcoming El Clasico next weekend.
Real Madrid: Not Everything Is Perfect Despite Win
Real Madrid manager Ancelotti struggled to conceal his annoyance as his team allowed Celta Vigo to create opportunities during their 2-1 win.
The attacking trio of Vinicius, Mbappe, and Jude Bellingham were criticized for being overly relaxed and visibly expressed their irritation towards one another. Nevertheless, they demonstrated their skill and composure to secure the victory.
At the defense, Ancelotti's team was exposed multiple times, and a more aggressive opponent would have taken advantage of those opportunities.
Even though they narrowed the distance to Barcelona in La Liga, the team's display against Celta is one that they'll want to erase from memory.
Player Of The Match: Vinicius Junior
Goals are what decide matches, and even though Vinicius wasn't performing at his peak, he still managed to deliver the decisive moment.
From the very beginning, Vinicius kept the Celta Vigo defenders on their toes, creating multiple threatening chances to score during the first half.
In the second half, when the substitute Modric set him up for a clear shot, there was no doubt what would happen next as he calmly placed the ball past the keeper.
The performance was somewhat affected by missed passing opportunities in the first half, especially when Bellingham was in a good position and chose to go for it alone. This led to visible frustration from the English forward regarding that choice.
Celta Vigo: Guaita received a rating of 6, while Manquillo got a 7. Starfelt, Alonso, and Alvarez all scored 6. Beltran also stood out with a 7, and Sotelo earned a 6. Mingueza was rated 6, along with Iglesias, while Bamba achieved a 7. Substitutes included Dominguez, Douvikas, Duran, Gonzalez, D Rodriguez, J Rodriguez, and Villar, all with a score of 6.
Real Madrid Ratings: Courtois 8, Lucas 6, Militao 6, Rudiger 6, Garcia 6, Valverde 7, Tchouameni 6, Camavinga 7, Bellingham 7, Mbappe 7, Vinicius Junior 8. Substitutes: Ceballos 6, Mendy 6, Modric 8, Rodrygo 6.
7’ - SWEDBERG'S ATTEMPT BLOCKED: The visitors have a fantastic opportunity as Swedberg breaks free and finds himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Unfortunately for him, Courtois manages to get his foot in the way of the weak shot.
20’ - GOAL! CELTA VIGO 0 REAL MADRID 1 (MBAPPE): Celta Vigo is trying to play the ball around their defense when it gets intercepted, putting Mbappe in a prime position. He takes aim and sends the ball sailing into the top corner from outside the penalty area.
51’ - GOAL! CELTA VIGO 1 (SWEDBERG) REAL MADRID 1: Swedberg brings Celta back on equal terms after the visitors neglect to apply pressure on the ball. Mingueza combines with Bamba for a quick one-two, then delivers a superb cross that allows Swedberg to score.
66 - GOOAL! CELTA VIGO 1 REAL MADRID 2 (VINICIUS JUNIOR): Just moments after entering the match, Modric delivers an excellent pass to Vinicius Junior, who skillfully puts the ball past the keeper with ease.
90+2 - CELTA LETS OPPORTUNITY SLIP: Gonzalez makes a fantastic play, skillfully maneuvering past his defender before setting up Douvikas, who is making a great run into the box. Unfortunately, the substitute misses the target when he really should have scored.
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