Real Madrid suffered a surprising 2–0 defeat to Celta Vigo in La Liga, ending the match with nine players and increasing the pressure on manager Xabi Alonso. Madrid have now won only one of their last five league games and remain four points behind leaders Barcelona.
Madrid hoped to stay close in the title race, but the night quickly fell apart. Seven minutes after halftime, Williot Swedberg scored with a clever flick into the bottom corner, giving Celta a shock lead.
The situation worsened in the 64th minute when Fran García received two yellow cards within a minute, leaving Madrid with 10 players. Deep into added time, Álvaro Carreras was also sent off after two quick yellow cards for dissent and foul language. Celta took full advantage, with Swedberg scoring again moments later as Madrid collapsed.
The defeat marks Celta’s first La Liga win over Madrid since 2014, ending a run of 22 league matches without victory. The tension around the Bernabéu was clear. Earlier in the week, Alonso confirmed he had spoken with club president Florentino Pérez about the team’s poor form. The pressure continued during the match, with Alonso himself shown a yellow card.
Madrid created chances but failed to score. Arda Güler shot narrowly wide and Kylian Mbappé lifted an effort just over the bar. Their problems deepened when Éder Militão left the pitch after a hamstring injury, adding to a growing defensive injury list. The match was also Madrid’s first since Trent Alexander-Arnold was ruled out for two months with a thigh injury.
Madrid must now shift focus to a critical Champions League match against Manchester City on Wednesday at the Bernabéu, where they need a strong response.
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