Real Madrid suffered a tough night at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday after falling 2-0 to Celta Vigo in La Liga. The hosts ended the match with nine players on the pitch following late dismissals for Fran Garcia and Alvaro Carreras, adding to their frustration on a difficult evening.
Both goals came in the second half from Williot Swedberg, whose sharp finishing handed Celta a memorable win and pushed Madrid further off the pace in the title race. The defeat leaves Xabi Alonso’s side four points behind Barcelona, who sit at the top of the table.
Madrid also saw defender Eder Militao limp off early in the first half, adding another concern with a Champions League clash against Manchester City coming up on Wednesday. Alonso had rested Antonio Rudiger with that match in mind, but the German was forced into action much earlier than expected after Militao’s injury.
This was Madrid’s first home league match after six straight games away across all competitions. The recent run has taken a toll, with the team now winning only one of their last five league outings.
Celta arrived in the capital with confidence despite a difficult season and grew into the match. Their goalkeeper Ionut Radu played a major role in keeping Madrid quiet before the break, saving chances from Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Arda Guler. Celta’s low defensive setup frustrated Madrid’s attackers, cutting off the space usually exploited by Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius.
Madrid’s best opening in the first half came when Mbappe set up Guler, but the Turkish midfielder steered his shot wide. Radu continued to stand firm after the restart, pushing away a powerful hit from Fede Valverde before Celta landed the first blow.
The visitors took the lead when Bryan Zaragoza’s cross found Swedberg, who flicked the ball past Thibaut Courtois with a neat finish. The goal rattled Madrid, and moments later Fran Garcia was sent off after collecting two bookings within a minute.
Madrid still carved out chances while down to ten men. Mbappe sent a lob onto the roof of the net and substitute Gonzalo Garcia headed narrowly wide, but Celta did not crack. The situation worsened deep into stoppage time when Carreras was shown a red card for dissent as tempers flared.
With Madrid reduced to nine, Celta sealed the result when Swedberg rounded Courtois and rolled the ball into an empty net.
In another La Liga match, Espanyol continued their strong start to the season with a 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano. Roberto Fernandez scored from the penalty spot in the first half to secure their third straight league victory. The result lifted Espanyol to fifth, four points behind Atletico Madrid, with a game in hand.
Rayo’s Unai Lopez was dismissed early in the second half after receiving a second yellow card. Espanyol also finished with ten men when Tyrhys Dolan was sent off late on, but the hosts had already done enough to claim the points.
