90min
·10 March 2024
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Yahoo sports90min
·10 March 2024
Real Madrid move seven points clear at the top of La Liga with a comfortable 4-0 win over Rafa Benitez's Celta Vigo on Sunday evening.
Goals from Vinicius Junior, Arda Guler and two own goals from Vicente Guaita and Carlos Dominguez secured all three points for Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu against a struggling Celta side.
As expected, Real Madrid utterly dominated the early stages of the game, winning four corners inside the opening six minutes alone. One of these corners almost resulted in the opening goal of the game, with Eduardo Camavinga forcing Vicente Guaita into a finger-tip save with a decent headed effort from 12 yards out.
Los Blancos would eventually find the breakthrough when their sixth corner kick was looped into the penalty area by Luka Modric. The legendary midfielder curled the ball perfectly into the path of Antonio Rudiger who thumped a header goalwards.
Rudiger's header would be rather splendidly saved by Guaita, as would a follow-up volley from Vinicius Junior, but a third effort from Vini would prove to be a bridge too far for the ex-Crystal Palace goalkeeper, who could only watch on at the forward tapped into the net.
Despite being on the back foot for the 99% of the first half, Celta would create one really, really good chance before the half-time whistle. That chance would fall to Luca de la Torre, who looked an unmarked header from six yards out well over the crossbar after being found by Iago Aspas at the back post.
Madrid's dominance of proceedings would continue into the second half. Federico Valverde, Brahim Diaz and Rodrygo Goes all spurned half-chances early in the half, however Madrid wouldn't create a another real clear cut chance until Joselu came off of the bench in the final quarter of an hour.
Joselu's chance would come from, yep you guessed it, another corner kick delivery from Modric. This time the ball was floated into the near post area where Joselu rose highest, but was unable to keep his effort on goal down - seeing it fly just over the crossbar.
Five minutes later, yet another corner kick would result in chaos in the Celta Vigo box and lead to Madrid's second goal of the game. Once again it would be Rudiger who'd win the aerial duel in the Celta box, with his thumping header cannoning off of the crossbar, then off of the back of the unfortunate Guaita, and into the back of the net.
There was still time for a second own goal from Celta's calamitous backline before the final whistle, with Carlos Dominguez bundling the ball into his own net after a Vinicius Junior cross befuddled Guaita in goal.
Arda Guler would round off the scoring with his first ever goal for Madrid, latching onto a through ball from Dani Ceballos before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting into the corner of the net.
Rudiger played well / Quality Sport Images/GettyImages
GK: Andriy Lunin - 5/10 - He had literally nothing to do.
RB: Lucas Vazquez - 6/10 - Got forward well, and consistently, on the right flank.
CB: Antonio Rudiger - 8/10 - A constant threat from set pieces, winning aerial duels in the first and second half which led to the two goals.
CB: Nacho Fernandez - 6/10 - Used the ball well, completing 95% of his passes in the game.
LB: Ferland Mendy - 6/10 - Like his full-back partner, Mendy was a regular offensive threat.
CM: Federico Valverde - 6/10 - Had a few pops at goal that, on another day, might've resulted in a goal.
CM: Eduardo Camavinga - 8/10 - A fantastic performance at the heart of Madrid's midfield. The youngster won 10 duels, won possession for his side 13 times and completed over 95% of his passes.
CM: Luka Modric - 8/10 - It's astonishing that a 38-year-old can still be this good. Modric put in an all-action outing on Sunday, with the brilliance of his set piece deliveries utterly baffling the Celta defence throughout.
AM: Brahim Diaz - 6/10 - Caused problems with his clever movement in and around the penalty area.
ST: Rodryo Goes - 5/10 - Had a few moments, but nothing particular to write home about.
ST: Vinicius Junior - 7/10 - Scored the first goal and put in a wonderful cross which led to the third. A top outing from the Brazilian.
SUB: Joselu (72' for Rodrygo) - 6/10
SUB: Aurelien Tchouameni (83' for Modric) - 6/10
SUB: Toni Kroos (83' for Brahim) - 6/10
SUB: Arda Guler (89' for Vinicius) - 7/10 - Scored his first ever Madrid goal.
SUB: Dani Ceballos (89' for Camavinga) - 7/10 - Came on and set up Madrid's fourth.
Manager - Carlo Ancelotti - 6/10 - Another comfortable win for Ancelotti's side, which relied perhaps more on Celta's defensive issues as opposed to Madrid's quality.
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