Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 Spanish Primera
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THE FACTS
When is Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid on and what time does it start? Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid will take place on Friday 25th August, 2023 – 20:30 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid? Visit each club’s official website for the latest ticket information
What TV channel is Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid on in the UK? Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid will be televised live on LaLigaTV, but La Liga matches are also televised occasionally on Viaplay Sports and ITV
Where can I stream Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid in the UK? Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid can be streamed live on Viaplay, while ITV matches can be streamed live on ITVX
THE LOWDOWN
CELTA VIGO
It has been a frustrating summer for Celta. They spent much of last season in a relegation battle with both Eduardo Coudet and Carlos Carvalhal struggling for consistency so in came former Liverpool and Real Madrid boss Rafa Benitez during the off season. The Galicians, despite having help from PSG’s Sporting Director Luis Campos, have had a quiet summer which could well end with star man Gabri Veiga leaving for Napoli.
They began their campaign with a 2-0 defeat at home to an efficient and effective Osasuna side with Osasuna really comfortably the better side at Balaidos on the opening day. Since then, they have shared quite a respectable 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad in which Oscar Mingueza scored a 94th minute equaliser for Celta to avoid back-to-back defeats at the start of this season.
REAL MADRID
Real Madrid are seeking to return to the top of Spanish football this season as they will be extremely disappointed to have barely put up a fight against a hardly faultless and actually worryingly poor Barcelona side in the title race last season. Los Blancos are in a period of transition with captain Karim Benzema departing this summer but, with the key solver of problems Carlo Ancelotti in the dugout, they look set to be strong this season.
Their opening two matches of the campaign have been dominated by star summer signing Englishman Jude Bellingham. The former Borussia Dortmund midfielder scored a brace and provided an assist for Vinicius Junior in their 3-1 win away at Almeria at the weekend, which followed up him scoring on debut against Athletic at San Mames in a 2-0 victory on the opening day of the season.
THE TEAM NEWS
CELTA VIGO
Rafa Benitez has been deploying quite a narrow 4-4-2 system with Celta and that is expected to remain the same, albeit they are now without two attackers due to injury with both Goncalo Paciencia and Carles Perez out.
PREDICTED XI (4-4-2): Villar; Mingueza, Starfelt, Nunez, Sanchez; de la Torre, Beltran, Sotelo, Bamba; Aspas, Strand Larsen
UNAVAILABLE: Paciencia (Injured), Perez (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
REAL MADRID
Carlo Ancelotti is dealing with a lot of injuries. Both Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao would be crucial players for the Italian and even Dani Ceballos, Ferland Mendy and new signing Arda Guler are blows. It is expected he maintains his interesting 4-4-2 diamond shape in Galicia.
PREDICTED XI (4-1-2-1-2): Lunin; Carvajal, Rudiger, Alaba, Garcia; Tchouameni; Valverde, Camavinga; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius
UNAVAILABLE: Ceballos (Injured), Militao (Injured), Courtois (Injured), Mendy (Injured), Guler (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
THE PREDICTION
Rafa Benitez’s Celta remain winless after two matches and he would love to frustrate the club that sacked him mid-way through a season. The Galicians, in typical Benitez fashion, will seek to irritate and limit Madrid’s fluency with Los Blancos actually not performing that well in their 3-1 defeat of Almeria. Vinicius in particular has been limited with his more central role and given how narrow Celta will play, this could be another game where the Brazilian finds his role stifled. The away win remains likely but it may well be a tortuous 90 minutes en route to three successive victories for Ancelotti’s side.
TIP: REAL MADRID TO WIN & UNDER 3.5 GOALS
