Verdict: Real Madrid win & Both teams to score
Best Odds: 7/4
Bookmaker: Luckster
Knowing that their La Liga title dreams are hanging by a thread, Real Madrid will welcome Celta Vigo to the Bernabeu on Sunday lunchtime.
Real Madrid
Starting with the hosts, while Real Madrid might have secured consecutive La Liga victories, Los Blancos have rightfully come under a huge amount of scrutiny. Suffering Copa del Rey heartbreak against arch-rivals Barcelona last weekend as they fell to a 3-2 defeat, it has been all but officially confirmed that Carlo Ancelotti will be leaving the Bernabeu. Facing the real prospect of ending the 2024/25 campaign without a single piece of silverware to show for their troubles, the Spanish giants also find their La Liga title dreams hanging by a thread. Opening this weekend’s fixtures sat four points adrift of Barca, Sunday’s hosts will have a tremendous amount of pressure here. Watching their Champions League adventure come to a thumping end last month following a 5-1 aggregate defeat against Arsenal, Madrid face what is a must-win showdown in the capital.
Real Madrid Team News
Undergoing surgery earlier in the week after picking up a muscle injury, Real Madrid have confirmed that German defender Antonio Rudiger will miss the remainder of the season. Likewise, suffering more injury frustration against Barcelona last weekend, Ferland Mendy will not feature on Sunday afternoon.
Coming off the bench and bagging what was a consolation Copa del Rey strike last week, French skipper Kylian Mbappe will make a full return here. With Ancelotti potentially looking to make some changes, Brahim Diaz could replace Rodrygo in attack.
Celta Vigo
As for the visitors, making a stellar return to winning ways last time out as they stormed their way to a 3-0 romp against Villarreal, Celta Vigo have gained plenty of plaudits this season. Skyrocketing their way into the European spots, Claudio Giraldez’s side are more than capable of asking some serious questions here. Losing just a pair of their previous 11 La Liga appearances, the Sky Blues find the mood in their camp at a red-hot high. However, despite relishing a trip to the capital this weekend, Celta Vigo do hold a nightmare record against Los Blancos. Watching their respective Copa del Rey adventure come to an end on January 16th following an action-packed 5-2 defeat in the capital, Giraldez’s side have lost all of their last 10 meetings across all competitions.
Celta Vigo Team News
In what is a huge blow for Celta Vigo, the Sky Blues have already confirmed that Swedish defender Carl Starfelt will miss the remainder of the campaign. However, aside from the former Celtic star, Giraldez’s camp have reported a clean bill of health and have no fresh injury concerns.
While veteran striker Iago Aspas might have come off the bench and bagged a first goal since February last week, the one-time Liverpool misfit will likely settle remain among Giraldez’s subs. Notching four goals in back-to-back appearances, Borja Iglesias will lead the line in Madrid.
Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo Key Factors to Consider
- When Real Madrid and Celta Vigo last met on January 16th for a Copa del Rey showdowns, Los Blancos stormed their way to a 5-2 victory on home soil.
- In fact, Ancelotti’s side have won all of their previous 10 consecutive meetings against Sunday’s guests across all competitions.
- Celta Vigo have lost just a pair of their previous 11 La Liga appearances.
- Real Madrid have recorded just a single clean sheet from their previous seven matchups at the Bernabeu.
- Former Real Betis striker Borja Iglesias has recorded four goals in his back-to-back La Liga appearances.
Conclusion
Suffering major Copa del Rey heartbreak last weekend as they eventually fell to that 3-2 defeat against arch-rivals Barcelona, Real Madrid know that they can’t afford any signs of a hangover here. With their La Liga title dreams hanging by a thread, Los Blancos will have a huge amount of pressure on their shoulders here. Although Ancelotti’s side might meet a Celta Vigo squad who have their sights set on booking a sensational European finish, they do hold a dominant record against Sunday’s guests. Winning all of their previous 10 straight meetings across all competitions, we are backing what could be an enjoyable home victory this weekend.
Verdict: Real Madrid win & Both teams to score
Best Odds: 7/4
Bookmaker: Luckster
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