A win this Saturday is important for both Real and Celta Vigo as it will give them three points which will break the triple tie and will place them on top of the La Liga table.
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Real Madrid’s attack will be up against a defence featuring Celta Vigo academy players and more Barcelona misfits, who’ve given a good account of their abilities this season, conceding a goal a game.
“We had a lot of chances to finish the game before”, said Real boss Rafael Benitez.
La Liga leaders Real Madrid only have two days to recover from their midweek trip to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, which ended in a goalless draw.
Navas proved his worth again just before the interval by pulling off another fantastic save for Madrid.
However, the side from a town of just 27,000 people have made a great start to just their second season in the top flight having suffered just one defeat in their opening eight games.
The Costa Rica keeper made four excellent saves in the first half and consistently bailed out Madrid’s backline that was overrun by Celta’s attacking trio of Nolito, Fabian Orellana and Iago Aspas. The 24-year-old pulled the ball back to Ronaldo, who needed just one touch to rifle home and score his seventh goal of the league campaign.
From the highs of a Luis Suárez hat-trick and a one-man show from Keylor Navas to the lows of the entire concept of the goalless draw between Las Palmas and Villarreal, the latest round of La Liga was a fairly fun affair.
“I am satisfied with the work of the team with 10 men. We have to be happy despite the loss”.
Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, James Rodriguez, Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Pepe are all doubtful, whilst Dani Carvajal is definitely out.
And this is the same group that took down giants Barcelona with a blistering 4-1 victory at home last month.
Other than Madrid substitute Francisco “Isco” Alarcon hitting the woodwork in the 69th, Celta dominated possession and the flow of play even after Cabral was sent off for protesting.
They finally reduced the deficit five minutes from time when Nolito smashed an unstoppable strike into the top corner, and the outcome of the match could have been very different if John Guidetti’s effort had ended up on the right side of the post moments later.
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Eibar were only sparred of relegation last season due to Elche’s financial troubles sending them down to the second division.
