Real Madrid defeated Celta 2-1 on Saturday, thanks to an outstanding performance from Thibaut Courtois and goals from Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius, boosting their confidence before a crucial week featuring a European clash against Borussia Dortmund and El Clásico against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu.

The match started with a high tempo. Celta aimed to inject speed into the game, looking to threaten with their quick attackers. They stayed true to their style, even without their most influential player, Iago Aspas. The pressure from the home side was so intense that Carlo Ancelotti continuously adjusted his defenders’ positioning from the sidelines.

Real Madrid was initially dominated by Celta’s pressing. The first few minutes were played at Celta’s pace, and they had the first opportunity to open the scoring, but Courtois denied Swedish forward Williot Swedberg with a great save in a one-on-one situation.

Real Madrid struggled to find depth and couldn’t break through Celta’s defense until Kylian Mbappé stepped up to unlock the game. Even though he’s not yet in top form, the Frenchman showcased his scoring instincts. He received the ball on the edge of the box and unleashed a powerful shot that left the Celta goalkeeper with no chance, putting his team ahead at Balaídos. 

The break didn’t benefit Real Madrid. They returned to the pitch lacking intensity and soon paid for a major defensive lapse that Swedberg exploited to beat Courtois. Ten minutes later, Ancelotti adjusted the lineup by bringing on Modric and Rodrygo. It took the Croatian just a couple of minutes to display his quality with a precise pass that left Vinícius one-on-one with Guaita, who got a touch on the ball but couldn’t prevent the 2-1. 

Celta didn’t back down. Led by Mingueza, they kept Real Madrid pinned in their own area and created two good chances: Courtois made a standout save to deny Bamba’s equalizer, and a subsequent shot from Mingueza went just wide.  

Giráldez also made adjustments to refresh his team, seeking speed to break through Madrid’s defense. However, Celta's momentum gradually faded, though in added time, Tasos Douvikas came very close to equalizing. The Greek forward reached a cross from Durán under pressure, but his shot went just wide.