In a stunning La Liga clash, Real Madrid suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo, ending their perfect home record this season. Swedish substitute Williot Swedberg was the star, scoring a sensational heel flick in the 53rd minute and a composed finish in stoppage time to secure the victory. The loss leaves Real Madrid four points behind league leaders Barcelona.
Celta, who jumped from 14th to 10th place, applied a disciplined defensive setup, frustrating Real’s attacking threats. Swedberg’s opener came from a clever Bryan Zaragoza cross, which he diverted past Thibaut Courtois with a perfectly timed flick. The second goal, three minutes into added time, saw Swedberg round the goalkeeper to seal the win.
Real Madrid’s coach Xabi Alonso made a bold decision to rest centre-back Antonio Rudiger, starting Alvaro Carreras instead. However, Rudiger had to come on midway through the first half after Eder Militao suffered an injury. Despite the reshuffle, Madrid struggled to break down Celta’s low block, with key forwards Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior repeatedly denied space.
Celta goalkeeper Ionut Radu was in top form, making crucial saves from Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler, and Vinicius Junior. Madrid’s best chance in the first half came from Guler, whose swivel shot went wide after a perfect setup from Mbappe.
The match took a further twist when Fran Garcia received two yellow cards within a minute, reducing Madrid to ten men. Later, Carreras was dismissed in stoppage time for dissent, leaving the team with just nine players as Celta completed their victory.
Bellingham also left the field with a cut after a clash with Borja Iglesias, further compounding Madrid’s woes. Speaking after the match, Iglesias praised his team’s defensive resilience, calling the match’s ending “strange” but lauding the players’ focus and effort on the road.
Alonso criticized his team’s intensity and effort, highlighting frustration with the referee’s decisions. “We were better with 10 men than with 11 tonight,” Alonso said. “We have to turn the page quickly. There are still plenty of league games left.”
This loss marks a worrying moment for Real Madrid, who have now won only one of their last five league matches, as they prepare to host Manchester City in the Champions League midweek.
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