Real Madrid will be looking to secure their second consecutive win in La Liga as they face Celta Vigo at the Estadio Municipal de Balaídos this Saturday night.
Currently, Los Blancos sit second in the league, with 21 points from their first nine matches. Celta, on the other hand, is in ninth place, having earned 13 points from their nine games.
Celta Vigo has been entertaining to watch this season, racking up four wins, one draw, and four losses. They've scored 16 goals, trailing only Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Villarreal in that department, but they've also conceded 15, giving them one of the weaker defensive records in the league.
They head into this match on a high note, having secured a 1-0 victory over Las Palmas just before the international break, with Borja Iglesias scoring the decisive goal in the 28th minute.
Celta boasts the third-best home record in La Liga this season, earning 10 points from five matches. However, they have a challenging task ahead, as they've lost their last eight league encounters against Real Madrid, with their last victory over them coming more than a decade ago.
Real Madrid hasn’t been at their best this season but still holds second place in the table, just three points behind leaders Barcelona. Before the break, they won 2-0 against Villarreal, which followed a 1-1 draw in the Madrid derby and a 1-0 defeat to Lille in the Champions League.
The month ahead is crucial for Real Madrid, as they face Borussia Dortmund in Europe midweek before clashing with Barcelona in the league next weekend.
While they've won their last three matches against Celta without conceding, Real Madrid has struggled away, with just one win from their first four away matches this season.
There have been some concerns about how Kylian Mbappe’s arrival has affected team dynamics, but he has still managed to score five goals in eight league appearances. Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo have also contributed with three goals each in La Liga.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Celta Vigo will be missing two key players this weekend due to suspensions: Iago Aspas, who has scored four goals this season, and Ilaix Moriba. Both were sent off in their last match against Las Palmas. They’ll also be without Jailson and Luca de la Torre, while Jonathan Bamba is still being assessed.
On a positive note, Carl Starfelt is expected to recover from a minor injury and continue in defense. The absence of Aspas and Moriba may provide an opportunity for Pablo Duran and Franco Cervi to step into the starting lineup.
For Real Madrid, Thibaut Courtois is still a doubt with a hip issue, which means Andriy Lunin might keep his place in goal. Dani Carvajal, unfortunately, will be sidelined for the rest of the season due to a serious knee injury.
However, there’s some good news for Los Blancos, as Eder Militao and Vinicius are likely to be fit after dealing with injuries sustained against Villarreal. Dani Ceballos has also returned to the bench after his own issues.
Brahim Diaz and David Alaba remain unavailable, but there haven’t been any new injury concerns during the international break. Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham are expected to feature, and with Carvajal out, Lucas Vazquez is poised for more playing time at right-back.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Celta Vigo possible starting lineup:
Guaita; Manquillo, Starfelt, Alonso; Mingueza, Beltran, Cervi, Alvarez; Duran, Iglesias, Swedberg
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Lunin; Vazquez, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius
EXPERT PREDICTIONS
Celta Vigo 0-2 Real Madrid
Real Madrid has struggled to hit their stride on the road this season, and Celta poses a significant threat in attack. However, the absence of Aspas is a setback for Celta. We’re confident that Ancelotti’s team will secure a crucial three points in this match.
