La Liga leaders Real Madrid face former coach Rafa Benitez and his struggling Celta Vigo side tomorrow as they bid to get back on track after last weekend’s draw at Valencia. Los Blancos not only dropped two points but had key player Jude Bellingham sent off and he will miss two league games, including Celta’s visit to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Madrid also played badly in a 1-1 draw against RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday, but it was enough to see them through to the quarter-finals 2-1 on aggregate. Despite the Valencia draw, Madrid’s closest title challengers Girona could not capitalise and fell to a 1-0 defeat by Copa del Rey finalists Real Mallorca.
The Catalans have run out of steam in recent weeks, suffering three defeats and a draw in their last five matches. Madrid’s traditional title rivals Barcelona, third, host Real Mallorca and can overtake Girona before they play Osasuna today.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side are still without long-term absentees Thibaut Courtois, David Alaba and Eder Militao, along with the suspended Bellingham. Brahim Diaz replaced the England international in the first-leg win against Leipzig when he had an ankle injury and the playmaker scored, while Joselu has also been in good form for Los Blancos.
Ancelotti did not select either in the second leg and admitted he got his line-up wrong by loading the midfield. “Maybe I made a mistake, I was trying to put energy in, but that was what we didn’t have,” said the coach.
He will likely select a far more attacking side against Benitez’s Celta, fighting for their lives after a difficult start to the season. They cannot afford to roll over for the Spanish giants. The Galicians are 17th, five points clear of the relegation zone and held their own against Barcelona in February, denied a point only by a 97th-minute Robert Lewandowski penalty.
This is the first time Benitez has returned to the Bernabeu since Madrid sacked him in 2016 after just seven months at the helm.
Rafa Benitez
