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October 19, 2024
Real Madrid secured a crucial La Liga win over Celta Vigo with goals from superstar forwards Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior. Mbappe opened the scoring spectacularly, launching a powerful 20-yard strike in the first half. However, Williot Swedberg leveled the match for Celta early in the second half, putting pressure on Madrid.
The game shifted in Real Madrid’s favor with the introduction of Luka Modric, who made history as the oldest substitute in the club’s history. The veteran midfielder delivered a sublime through ball to Vinicius, who expertly rounded the goalkeeper and tapped in the decisive goal, sealing the victory for Los Blancos.
The game began with an unusually aggressive approach from Real Madrid, who pushed forward relentlessly in search of an early goal, adopting an intensity more typical of the final five minutes than the opening ten. This all-out attacking strategy, however, left significant space for Celta Vigo to exploit on the counter, creating several tense moments for Madrid’s defense.
Celta nearly capitalized on Madrid’s exposed backline in the seventh minute. A swift counter-attack saw Williot Swedberg breakthrough, finding himself one-on-one with Thibaut Courtois. Yet, the 20-year-old succumbed to the pressure, with Courtois making a brilliant save to deny his side-footed effort from inside the box.
Celta soon regretted that missed opportunity. In the 20th minute, Kylian Mbappe showcased his class, pouncing on a loose ball at the edge of the box. With a single decisive strike, he sent the ball soaring into the top left corner, giving Madrid a thrilling lead in emphatic style.
Real Madrid nearly doubled their lead immediately after the break. Jude Bellingham charged down the right flank, skillfully bypassing a Celta defender before narrowly missing the far post with a low, powerful strike.
However, it was Celta Vigo who struck next. Madrid’s defensive vulnerabilities were again exposed as Williot Swedberg seized the opportunity, volleying an Oscar Mingueza cross into the net with precision, leveling the score.
Madrid responded quickly, with Kylian Mbappe setting up Vinicius Junior for a close-range tap-in, but the goal was swiftly ruled out for offside. In response, Carlo Ancelotti brought on Luka Modric and Rodrygo Goes instead of Federico Camavinga and Federico Valverde—a decision that quickly paid off. The ageless Modric delivered a stunning, defense-splitting pass to Vinicius, who expertly rounded the goalkeeper and tapped in to restore Madrid’s lead at 2-1.
Celta fought hard for an equalizer, with Jonathan Bamba testing Courtois with a sharp save and Mingueza narrowly missing the target with a powerful shot over the crossbar, but Madrid held on to secure a hard-fought victory.
GK: Thibaut Courtois – 7/10 – Made a crucial first-half save to deny Swedberg but had little chance to prevent the second-half goal.
RB: Lucas Vazquez – 5/10 – He showed good intent but struggled with his defensive positioning.
CB: Eder Militao – 6/10 – Solid when covering for Rudiger, though he was called upon too frequently to compensate.
CB: Antonio Rudiger – 3/10 – Largely absent defensively, allowing Celta too many easy breaks past him.
LB: Fran Garcia – 5/10 – Pushed forward effectively on occasion but found himself outmatched defensively, with Celta’s goal originating from his side.
CM: Federico Valverde – 6/10 – Passed accurately (98% completion) but didn’t bring his usual energy off the ball, evidenced by winning only two duels in an hour.
CM: Aurelien Tchouameni – 8/10 – A standout, winning all his tackles and seven duels while completing 96% of his passes; he was crucial in midfield.
CM: Eduardo Camavinga – 6/10 – Energized play with his work rate, contributing to the opening goal and covering ground effectively during his time on the field.
AM: Jude Bellingham – 6/10 – Displayed great tenacity, frequently winning back possession and stabilizing the midfield.
ST: Kylian Mbappe – 7/10 – He scored a brilliant goal to open the match and is finding his rhythm in La Liga.
ST: Vinicius Junior – 7/10 – Once again, the decisive player for Madrid, sealing the win by rounding the goalkeeper and scoring the match-winning goal in the second half.
SUB: Rodrygo Goes (64′ for Camavinga) – 5/10 – Showed some energy but didn’t make a significant impact.
SUB: Luka Modric (64′ for Valverde) – 7/10 – Brought composure and vision, with his assist proving pivotal in securing the win.
SUB: Ferland Mendy (70′ for Garcia) – 5/10 – Solid but largely unremarkable.
SUB: Dani Ceballos (82′ for Mbappe) – N/A – Came on too late to be rated.
Manager – Carlo Ancelotti – 7/10 – His second-half substitutions made all the difference, tipping the balance in Real Madrid’s favor.
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Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and football sportsbook app reviews. As an author for Football News Today, she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for football, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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