Who: Actual Madrid vs Celta Vigo
What: Spain’s La Liga
The place: Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain
When: Sunday, December 7, at 9pm (20:00 GMT)
Methods to observe: We’ll have all of the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT upfront of our textual content commentary stream.
Actual Madrid will search solely a second top-flight win in 5 matches after they entertain Celta Vigo in La Liga on Saturday, an achievement that may see them shut the hole on league leaders Barcelona to 1 level.
Really useful Tales
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It needs to be a match that sees the report Spanish home league winners enter as heavy favourites, however their type of late has allowed Barcelona to leap to the highest of the desk, whereas opening up questions on their coach, Xabi Alonso.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a take a look at a recreation the place Celta’s spectacular away report this season might see them trigger an upset, however a lot of the main target may even be on Actual’s free-scoring ahead, Kylian Mbappe.
Why has Mbappe been in contrast with Actual Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo?
French celebrity Mbappe is shut to creating historical past at Actual Madrid, like his idol Cristiano Ronaldo, stated his coach, Xabi Alonso, on Saturday.
After ending final season in prime kind and beginning the present marketing campaign beautifully, Mbappe has netted 55 objectives with Actual Madrid in 2025, and is simply 4 away from matching the report of 59 set in 2013 by Ronaldo, because the membership’s prime scorer in a calendar yr.
Mbappe has been more and more in contrast with the all-time prime Madrid goalscorer, Ronaldo, by the Spanish press for his rising affect and talent to rack up objectives.
“Kylian is on his strategy to making historical past at Actual Madrid like Cristiano did. Not simply due to the significance he has within the workforce, but in addition due to the ambition he conveys and the variety of objectives he scores,” Alonso informed a information convention.
“Kylian is without doubt one of the chosen ones. He has this want inside him not simply to do issues effectively, but in addition to have a constructive affect on others. That is one thing he shares with Cristiano – this contagious ambition that conjures up the remainder of the workforce.”
What are Mbappe’s stats at Actual Madrid?
Profitable the European Golden Shoe and La Liga’s prime scorer award final season with 31 objectives, Mbappe is at the moment working at a fair increased degree, with 16 objectives scored in 15 matches performed, and 9 in 5 Champions League video games.
Actual Madrid face Erling Haaland’s Manchester Metropolis within the Champions League on December 10, earlier than league video games towards Alaves and Sevilla, giving Mbappe 4 matches to catch Ronaldo, who Mbappe admits he had posters of on his wall as a baby.
Portugal worldwide Ronaldo scored 450 objectives in 438 matches for Actual Madrid, with Mbappe on 69 objectives in 79 video games since becoming a member of from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024.
What occurred in Actual Madrid’s final match?
Actual’s 3-0 win in La Liga at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday was seen as one in all their most spectacular shows this season.
Mbappe scored twice, both facet of Eduardo Camavinga’s header, to offer Actual a much-needed win, together with a morale-boosting efficiency.
The win handed Actual their first La Liga win in 4 video games.
How have Actual Madrid fared in La Liga this season?
Having received 13 of the opening 14 video games of the season, Actual have since received solely twice of their final six matches – a type of wins coming in Europe.
How have Celta Vigo fared in La Liga this season?
Celta had been on an eight-match unbeaten run, with six wins in that point, however it got here crashing to an finish with three defeats of their final 4 video games.
Regardless of their respectable mid-table place, Celta have been eight video games into the season – of which they misplaced three – earlier than they lastly secured a win. That victory got here within the Europa League towards PAOK Salonika.
In complete, there have been 9 La Liga video games – seven of which have been drawn – earlier than Celta registered their first league win of the season, with a 3-2 win at Osasuna.
What occurred the final time Actual Madrid performed Celta Vigo?
Actual beat Celta Vigo 3-2 in La Liga at Santiago Bernabeu in Might, within the final assembly between the edges.
Los Blancos, then beneath the administration of Carlos Ancelotti, stormed right into a three-goal lead, because of Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe’s braces.
Javi Rodriguez pulled one again within the 69th minute, with Williot Swedberg’s 76th-minute strike establishing a nervy end.
Actual’s clear sweep towards Celta Vigo final season
Actual additionally received the La Liga assembly at Celta Vigo final season, with Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior scoring both facet of Swedberg’s strike for the house facet.
Actual additionally received a January assembly between the edges within the Copa del Rey in January. Mbappe and Vinicius Junior appeared to have set Los Blancos on their strategy to a snug win by Jonathan Bamba’s 83rd-minute strike, and Marcos Alonso’s Ninetieth-minute penalty despatched the tie to additional time.
Second-half sub Endrick Federico bagged a brace both facet of a Federico Valverde objective to safe the 5-2 win and keep away from penalties.
When did Celta Vigo final beat Actual Madrid?
Celta final overcame Actual in 2017, with a 2-1 win at Santiago Bernabeu within the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarterfinal. A 2-2 draw within the return fixture was sufficient to see Celta progress, however their run was ended within the semifinals by Alaves.
When did Celta Vigo final beat Actual Madrid in La Liga?
Celta haven’t crushed Actual within the league since 2014, when Brazilian ahead Charles scored each objectives in a 2-0 win that ended any likelihood of Los Blancos catching cross-city rivals Atletico for the league title that season.
Stat assault: Actual Madrid
Actual’s dwelling report in La Liga this season has seen them win all six matches, netting 14 and conceding solely three.
Stat assault: Celta Vigo
Celta’s latest eight-match unbeaten run, with six wins in that point, got here crashing to an finish with three defeats of their final 4 video games.
Celta’s away report within the league has seen them win three, draw two and lose one, which far outweighs their dwelling return, the place they’re but to win on this La Liga marketing campaign.
Head-to-head: Actual Madrid vs Celta Vigo
That is the 58th assembly between the edges, with Actual successful 39 of the matches and Celta successful 12.
Actual are unbeaten within the final 19 conferences between the edges, successful 16.
Actual Madrid workforce information
Dani Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ferland Mendy are all absent resulting from damage. Dean Huijsen and David Alaba are additionally lacking for the go to of Celta.
Eduardo Camavinga is a doubt with a knock to the ankle, however has been named within the squad.
Celta Vigo workforce information
Joseph Aidoo and Mihailo Ristic are doubts resulting from damage.
Main scorer Borja Iglesias, with eight objectives to his title this season, will lead a number of gamers returning to the facet, following the midweek win on penalties towards decrease league Sant Andreu within the Copa del Rey.
Actual Madrid’s predicted beginning lineup
Courtois, Asencio, Militao, Rudiger, Carreras, Guler, Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham, Vinicius, Mbappe
Celta Vigo predicted beginning lineup
Radu, Alonso, Starfelt, J Rodriguez, Rueda, D Rodriguez, Moriba, Carreira, Zaragoza, Iglesias, Aspas
