Real Madrid vs. Celta Vigo: Is the La Liga Title Race Still Alive?
Real Madrid, a team known for comebacks but falling short so far this season, is looking to keep their hat in the ring for the coveted La Liga trophy this Sunday, May 4th, at 8:00 a.m. EST against Celta Vigo. As the seventh team in La Liga, Celta Vigo has nothing to lose since they aren’t in danger of demotion nor in contention for the title. This is dangerous for a Real Madrid team that has been lacking in wins with a major title trophy on the line. However, statistically, this match should be a win for Los Blancos.
Real Madrid’s last five games in the league resulted in four wins and a shocking home loss to Valencia. This loss set them back on their hunt for a trophy as Barcelona has been dominant in their La Liga campaign. As opposed to Celta Vigo’s nine goals in the last five matches, Real Madrid has only scored six. The goal drought for a star-studded team is confusing for fans, as they expect players such as Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Rodrygo to be putting balls in the back of the net. This match should be a chance for them to score big, as the last 30 matches against Celta Vigo have resulted in 24 wins for Real Madrid.
Celta Vigo are coming into this game after a 3-0 win against a strong Villarreal side that is currently fifth in La Liga. Borja Iglesias is their current striker with a hot foot, having scored three against Barcelona and finding the goal once against Villarreal. He will likely be a cause for worry against a Real Madrid defense that has been struggling to find their footing this season and recently allowed Arsenal to score five goals across two legs in the UEFA Champions League. The advantage that Real Madrid have playing at home is not to be taken lightly, as the Bernabeu lights seem to bring out the best in the squad. If they can manage to use their talent to its fullest potential on the field and coming off the bench, the match should be smooth sailing. The odds of Celta Vigo coming out prosperous are slim, but with a quick counterattack against a team in defensive crisis, anything is possible.
The biggest challenge for Real Madrid will be holding Celta Vigo from the goalie box. The injuries have been stacking up on Real Madrid as opposed to Celta Vigo’s side, which only has two players out. Most of the players out on injury for Real Madrid are the strongest defensive players, such as Antonio Rudiger, Eder Militao, and, more recently, David Alaba. Celta Vigo can take advantage of that and press heavily in the attack, waiting for even the sliver of a chance. Real Madrid needs to win the remainder of their matches and even then still has to hope Barcelona drops points to keep their La Liga trophy dreams alive this season. Celta Vigo are looking to have a successful end to their season and take a spot in the top five to potentially qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League. Both teams fighting for a win can at least guarantee one thing: an exciting match.
