After having crushed the defeats of Arsenal in the Champions League and Barcelona in the Copa del Rey, Real Madrid has a remaining ambition – defending its title La Liga. Los Blancheos welcomes Celta Vigo on Sunday aimed at staying hot on the tail of the Barcelona league, despite the bruises of the final fallout this week. Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger was prohibited for six games for launching an object to the referee, and also chose to undergo a knee operation, which means that he was released until the end of the season. Ferland Mendy and David Alaba were also excluded from the injured for the rest of the campaign, joining the long -term absent Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao on the sidelines.
The defense of Carlo Ancelotti, one of the weak points of the team in general this season, is in tatters as Celta side in the hope of securing European football next season, visit the Santiago Bernabeu.
Madrid, second and training Barcelona with four points, lost five games at La Liga this season after having stumbled once in their previous campaign, when they raised the title.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti, ready to leave the club at the end of the season, always believes that his team can defend his crown.
Outside the Champions League, Madrid had a week to rest and recover from the Copa’s final defeat on Saturday.
“We have time to prepare the matches against Celta and Barcelona, we must continue to participate until the end,” insisted the Italian coach.
After Celta, Madrid visits the Catalan giants of the Olympic stadium in a confrontation that could greatly contribute to the fate of the race race.
Madrid must arrive at this match without the gap of four points developing, with Barcelona in action in Real Valladolid on Saturday, between the two floors of their semi-final of the Champions League against Inter Milan.
Madrid beat Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey 16 times on the road to the final, although it was a controversial night after the Galician side was not granted which seemed a probable penalty.
“All of Spain saw it,” said Celta Iago Aspas striker this week before his team returns to Bernabeu.
Despite Madrid’s difficulties, Aspas said he would not exclude them from the title race.
“In football, you can never exclude anything, it sometimes seems that a team could lose, but it then wins,” added Aspas.
“We will try to be the protagonists, to have the ball, to attack … And after that, it could well go to us.”
Player to watch: Ayoze Perez
While Villarreal approaches a place in the Champions League for next season, striker Ayoze Perez also hopes to finish the season as a Spanish Liga scorer. The Villarreal striker has 14 goals, one behind Ohan Schet de Bilbao, who is currently recovering from an injury. Perez could add to his count when Osasuna visits on Saturday.
Key statistics
7 – The outdoor field players who have participated in each of the 33 league matches of their club so far this season
69 – The Kylian Mbappe from Real Madrid has the most plans on the target this season
100 – The star of Barcelona Lamine Yamal, who made his debut two years ago, reached a century of matches for the club this week against Inter Milan
Lighting
Friday (all GMT time)
Rayo Vallecano V Getafe (1900)
SATURDAY
Alaves against Atletico Madrid (1200), Villarreal against Osasuna (1415), Las Palmas V Valence (1630), Valladolid C Barcelona (1900)
Sunday
Real Madrid v Celta VIGO (1200), Sevillated against Leganes (1415), Espanyol v Real Betis (1630), Real Sociedad against Athletic Bilbao (1900)
Monday
Girona V Mallorca (1900)
RBS / NF
(This story has not been published by NDTV staff and is automatically generated from a unionized flow.)
Subjects mentioned in this article
