Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid – News and Probable Lineups

Real Madrid will look to recover from two consecutive losses in Spain’s top division as they take on Celta Vigo away on Friday evening.

The back-to-back defeats have seen Real Madrid drop to second place in the La Liga standings, trailing leaders Barcelona by four points, while Celta currently occupy sixth place.

Match overview

Celta heads into Friday’s fixture riding high after back-to-back victories against Mallorca and Girona, which have elevated them to sixth in the table, four points clear of seventh-placed Espanyol and three points behind fifth-placed Real Betis.

Claudio Giraldez’s team has secured victories in all of their last four matches across competitions, including winning both legs of their Europa League knockout round playoff against PAOK. They are now gearing up to face Lyon in the round of 16.

However, the Sky Blues have only achieved four wins in their 13 home league matches this season, and they will be facing a Real Madrid team currently boasting the best away record in the league, having earned 27 points from 13 fixtures.

Celta aims to complete a La Liga double over Real Madrid, having previously defeated them 2-0 at Bernabeu in December 2025.

In contrast, Los Blancos were 2-1 victors in their last encounter last season, meaning the Sky Blues have not tasted victory against Real Madrid in front of their supporters since May 2014.

It’s clear that Real Madrid is facing a challenging time this season, having suffered defeats in their last two league matches against Osasuna and Getafe.

Alvaro Arbeloa’s squad is positioned second in the La Liga table, four points behind Barcelona, and they cannot afford to drop any more points in this upcoming fixture.

Real Madrid is presently missing several key players, including their top scorer Kylian Mbappe, and have recently learned that Rodrygo will likely be sidelined for nearly a year due to an ACL injury.

Next week, Los Blancos will host Manchester City at Bernabeu for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, followed by a La Liga match against Elche before the second leg against Pep Guardiola’s side on March 17.

Real Madrid also has a league game against Atletico Madrid scheduled for March 22, and Arbeloa must ensure the team maintains its composure during this period.

Celta Vigo La Liga form:

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Celta Vigo form (all competitions):

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Real Madrid La Liga form:

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Real Madrid form (all competitions):

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Team News

Celta will be strengthened by the return of Borja Iglesias, who has netted 14 goals in all competitions this season but missed the last match against Girona due to a suspension.

Unfortunately, Marcos Alonso, Carl Starfelt, and Pablo Duran are ruled out due to injuries.

Ferran Jutgla found the net against Girona and could be deployed on the flanks to accommodate the returning Iglesias, while Miguel Roman is expected to retain his place in central midfield.

On the other hand, Real Madrid has been shaken by news that Rodrygo sustained a serious knee injury in their match against Getafe, with the Brazilian expected to be out for at least the next ten months.

Meanwhile, Mbappe, Dani Ceballos, Jude Bellingham, and Eder Militao are also unavailable, and Franco Mastantuono is suspended following a red card against Getafe.

Eduardo Camavinga, who missed the match against Getafe due to a dental issue, returned to training on Wednesday and is anticipated to be included.

Raul Asencio is also likely to be absent due to a neck injury, while David Alaba (calf) is a doubt, potentially opening the door for Dean Huijsen to start in defense.

Celta Vigo probable starting XI:

Radu; Rodriguez, Aidoo, Dominguez; Mingueza, Roman, Moriba, Carreira; Jutgla, Iglesias, Alvarez

Real Madrid probable starting XI:

Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Guler; G Garcia, Vinicius

Real Madrid must secure a win against Celta, and we were on the verge of supporting Los Blancos to claim all three points this Friday night. Nevertheless, Celta is a capable side, and we anticipate that the Sky Blues will be able to hold a wounded Real Madrid.