Nine men, two red cards, and a painful injury cap a disastrous night at the Bernabeu, leaving boss Xabi Alonso desperate to “get the bad taste out” before Man City visit.
Real Madrid’s troubled season plunged to a new low on Sunday as they crashed to a chaotic 2-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo, finishing the match with nine men and their title hopes severely damaged.
The loss, only Madrid’s second in La Liga, allowed rivals Barcelona to open a four-point gap at the top of the table. The night spiraled from bad to worse for manager Xabi Alonso, who saw defender Eder Militao forced off injured, followed by red cards for Fran García and Álvaro Carreras in a second-half meltdown.
“We have to turn the page as soon as possible,” a frustrated Alonso urged afterward. “We have the Champions League game against City to react in, and get this bad taste out of our mouths.”
Madrid, playing their first home match in weeks after a stadium conversion for an NFL game, looked out of sync from the start. Despite chances for Jude Bellingham and Arda Güler, they struggled to break down a disciplined Celta side.
The deadlock was broken in style by Celta’s Williot Swedberg, who flicked home a brilliant finish in the 65th minute. Madrid’s composure then evaporated. García received two quick yellow cards, reducing his side to ten men. Carreras followed in stoppage time for dissent, and Swedberg compounded the misery by rounding Thibaut Courtois to seal the win for the jubilant visitors.
“I did not like the refereeing,” Alonso added, though the scoreline reflected a deeper malaise. The defeat extends a worrying run of just one win in Madrid’s last five league games, casting a dark shadow over their preparations for Wednesday’s crucial Champions League clash with Manchester City.
For Celta, it was a night of perfect execution. “We read the game very well,” said striker Borja Iglesias. “We played a great game.” For Madrid and Alonso, it was an unmitigated disaster that leaves their campaign at a crossroads.
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