By Matt Smith
The two sides have faced twice so far this season, once in the Copa del Rey and once in La Liga, with Madrid securing wins in both of those fixtures. Celta Vigo have struggled away at Madrid in recent years, losing their previous five meetings.
Team news
Ancelotti will be without long-term absentees Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão, while Ferland Mendy, David Alaba, and Antonio Rüdiger will all be missing and aren’t expected to return this season. Eduardo Camavinga is also out, while Jude Bellingham and Lucas Vázquez are available after suspension.
Carl Starfelt will miss out for Celta Vigo, while Jones El-Abdellaoui is a doubt. Manager Claudio Giráldez should have no injury concerns heading into this one.
Madrid’s battle with Barcelona
Madrid remain in the fight for the La Liga title, but it’s going to be tricky to beat Barcelona in the race. Hansi Flick’s side have enjoyed an unbelievable season, and Ancelotti’s men have simply been beaten in almost every metric.
Madrid are going through a bit of a transition as they look to find the best way to set up their attack after Kylian Mbappé arrived in the summer transfer window. They’ve shown signs of having a deadly attacking recipe, but Ancelotti’s side are falling short in the title race.
Celta Vigo difficult to break down
Celta Vigo’s defensive solidity has played a crucial role in their battle to finish in the European places this season. Giráldez’s side have conceded just 35.9 expected goals, the fourth lowest in the division.
Despite that, Celta Vigo have conceded almost 13 more goals than their xG tally, perhaps suggesting that they’ve been quite unfortunate to let in as many as they have this season. A win could see them go five points clear of ninth if other results go their way.
Time for Vinícius to step up
It’s been a tricky period for Vinícius Júnior, who has scored just once in his previous six games for Madrid, producing no assists during that time. If the Spanish giants are going to have any chance of winning the league, they’ll need the Brazilian to step up in the final few games.
Vinícius has produced a phenomenal 33 goals and assists combined in all competitions this season, so it’s not outrageous to be expecting more from him of late. It might look like an uphill task for Madrid to win the league, but they face leaders Barcelona, which could swing things in their favour.
Prediction
Considering Celta Vigo’s recent record away to Madrid, it’s difficult to see Ancelotti’s side dropping points in this one. With the league title on the line, we’re expecting a comfortable Madrid victory: Real Madrid 3-1 Celta Vigo.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from LaLiga with FotMob this season — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
