Madrid: Reeling from consecutive eliminations in the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, Real Madrid face Celta Vigo at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday in a must-win La Liga clash. Trailing Barcelona by four points with five games remaining, Los Blancos can’t afford another stumble if they hope to defend their crown.
Injury Woes Compound Madrid’s Crisis
Madrid’s defensive line is in shambles. Antonio Rudiger has been banned for six matches after throwing an object at the referee and has since undergone knee surgery, ending his season. He joins a growing injury list that includes Ferland Mendy, David Alaba, Dani Carvajal, and Eder Militao.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti, set to leave Madrid at season’s end, faces his biggest challenge yet: keeping a depleted squad competitive. “We have to continue competing until the end,” said Ancelotti. “We’ve had time to prepare and must focus on both Celta and the Clasico next weekend.”
Celta Seeking Revenge and Europe
Celta Vigo, in the hunt for a European spot, will be looking to capitalize on Madrid’s vulnerabilities. In their Copa del Rey meeting earlier this year, Celta were controversially denied a penalty in a narrow defeat to Madrid. “All of Spain saw it,” said striker Iago Aspas, hinting at added motivation ahead of their Bernabéu return.
Aspas added, “You can never rule out anything in football. We’ll try to control the game and attack. After that, it could go either way.”
Title Race Implications
Barcelona play Real Valladolid on Saturday, between their Champions League semi-final ties against Inter Milan. A win for Barca would extend the gap to seven points before Madrid’s match, turning Sunday into a do-or-die encounter.
If Madrid drop points, the following weekend’s El Clasico may become meaningless in the title race.
Player to Watch: Ayoze Perez
Over at Villarreal, Ayoze Perez is chasing the Pichichi Trophy for top Spanish scorer. With 14 goals to his name, he’s one behind Athletic Bilbao’s Oihan Sancet, who is currently injured. Perez will aim to capitalize against Osasuna on Saturday.
Key Stats This Week
- 7 – Outfield players have appeared in all 33 league games for their clubs this season.
- 69 – Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe leads the league in shots on target.
- 100 – Lamine Yamal made his 100th Barcelona appearance this week at just 17 years old.
La Liga Fixtures (All times GMT)
- Friday: Rayo Vallecano vs Getafe (19:00)
- Saturday: Alaves vs Atletico Madrid (12:00), Villarreal vs Osasuna (14:15), Las Palmas vs Valencia (16:30), Valladolid vs Barcelona (19:00)
- Sunday: Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo (12:00), Sevilla vs Leganes (14:15), Espanyol vs Real Betis (16:30), Real Sociedad vs Athletic Bilbao (19:00)
- Monday: Girona vs Mallorca (19:00)
Real Madrid’s title ambitions hang by a thread. With Barcelona surging and injuries piling up, only a flawless finish will give Ancelotti and his men a chance to retain the crown.
