Real Madrid – Celta Vigo
Maximum pressure, a decimated defense, and an opponent on a roll: Real Madrid must deliver against Celta de Vigo on Sunday if Carlo Ancelotti does not want to squander what may be his last chance at the title before El Clásico. After being knocked out of the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, Los Blancos are four points behind Barcelona in LaLiga – only a win will do. Celta travel to seventh place after a clear 3-0 win over Villarreal, with their sights set on Europe and a strong core of former Barça players such as Mingueza, Alonso and Moriba. Real have won the last five direct encounters, but they are severely depleted: Rüdiger, Alaba, Mendy, Carvajal, and Militão are all out, Tchouaméni moves into central defense, and talented youngster Yusi could make his league debut. The stage is set for a thrilling encounter at the Bernabéu.
Real – Vigo Info
- Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid
- Date and time: May 4, 2025, 2:00 p.m.
- Competition: Primera División (Matchday 34)
Real form & record check
Real Madrid form. The Royals are in second place, having won three of their last five competitive games, but suffered bitter defeats against Arsenal (1-2) and Barcelona (2-3 a.e.t.). Draws? None – pure volatility. Real scored in all of their games, but never more than one goal before half-time. The attacking power of Mbappé, Vinícius and Rodrygo remains undisputed, but the defense is a patchwork quilt: in addition to long-term injuries, Carvajal and Camavinga are currently also missing, Tchouaméni is defending, and youth players such as Jacobo Ramón are slipping in. Bellingham seems overplayed, nerves are on edge – another slip-up could cost them the title.
Predicted Real starting XI (4-2-3-1): Lunin – Lucas Vázquez, Raúl Asencio, Tchouaméni, Fran García – Valverde, Ceballos – Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinícius – Mbappé. Ancelotti improvises in the back four, with young players brought in to provide stability. Mbappé and Vinícius return fresh on the wings, while Bellingham plays in the number 10 role despite a dip in form. Yusi or Jacobo Ramón could get some minutes at short notice, especially as Lucas and Tchouaméni are both on yellow cards.
Vigo form & record check
Celta de Vigo form. The 3-0 win against Villarreal was a statement, with the team scoring in four of their previous five games, even in the spectacular 3-4 defeat to Barcelona. Giráldez’s 3-4-3 formation brings pace and courage to the attack, but the team remains vulnerable at the back, conceding in four of their last five games. Under 1.5 goals? Rarely – Celta usually play lively football. Starfelt is still out, but Yoel Lago is a solid replacement. The Galicians are in seventh place, two points ahead of Osasuna, dreaming of EuroCelta, but they know that every point counts.
Predicted Celta starting XI (3-4-3): Guaita – Núñez, Jailson, Yoel Lago – Mingueza, Beltrán, Fran González, Hugo Álvarez – Alfon González – Larsen, Borja Iglesias. Giráldez trusts his well-rehearsed team, so no major changes are expected. The young players provide dynamism, and Alfon remains in the starting line-up despite his summer transfer. Surprises are still possible, but the basic line-up is set.
H2H Real – Vigo Head-to-head & statistics
Head-to-head. Real have won the last five encounters – most recently in March 2024 by 4-0 and in the 2025 Copa del Rey tie by 5-2 after extra time. Remarkably, Madrid did not concede a goal before half-time in any of these games, while Celta never scored in the first half. The first 45 minutes always ended with under 1.5 goals, with Real only picking up the pace after the break to decide the games.
