Real Madrid stays in title race as deflected goal gives late win in Vigo
Real Madrid stayed in the La Liga title race on Friday night thanks to a stroke of luck that earned a 2-1 win away to Celta Vigo.
Real Madrid stayed in the La Liga title race on Friday night thanks to a stroke of luck that earned a 2-1 win away to Celta Vigo.
Table-topper Real Madrid will travel to one of La Liga's most hostile grounds on Saturday to play Osasuna in the El Sadar Stadium in Pamplona.
Young striker Gonzalo Garcia scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid kept track of FC Barcelona at the top of La Liga with a comfortable 5-1 home win over Real Betis.
Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo scored to give Real Madrid a 2-1 win away to Alaves, trimming the gap to La Liga leader FC Barcelona to four points.
Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have vital away games which could have a big impact on this season's La Liga title race on the eve of the final international break of 2025.
Sevilla dropped to fourth after a 0-0 draw at home to Mallorca, leaving Sevilla (who visit Atletico on Sunday) with work to do to ensure a top-four finish, while Mallorca remains in the bottom three and in deep relegation trouble.
Real Madrid made seven changes to the team that defeated Manchester City on Wednesday night, and it showed, particularly in a disjointed first-half performance.
Last Saturday saw Carlo Ancelotti's men crowned La Liga champions with four games left to play, while Wednesday saw them produce yet another miracle comeback in the Champions League with two goals in the last two minutes to book their place in the tournament final.
The result on Saturday night strengthens Barca's second place in La Liga, while doing Atletico Madrid a favour in their efforts to qualify for next season's Champions League, as it leaves them three points clear of Betis ahead of Sunday's Madrid derby.
FC Barcelona had never lost four consecutive games at the Nou Camp, and goals from Memphis Depay and Sergio Busquets ensured that history was not made.
