Madrid thrashes weak Celtic to be first

Real Madrid and Celtic Glasgow are today two very different worlds in European football. That already seemed clear from the draw for the Champions League group stage, but the downward trend of the whites in recent games and the need for a victory against the Scottish team to seal the first place in the group gave rise to the duel between both at the Santiago Bernabéu a certain halo of uncertainty.

Beyond the color, the chants and the huge consumption of beer by a crowd that left its mark in Madrid without unpleasant episodes, the Chamartín team needed a win to avoid unnecessary trouble and seal their presence in the round of 16 draw as seeded as well as the only defender of Spanish pride. The setbacks against Shakhtar in Warsaw and against Leipzig on German soil did not invite excessive confidence and there was none. Madrid achieved the goal with no room for doubt, capturing the huge difference in punch on the green of the Bernabéu.

Despite the commendable initial impetus of the always seasoned Celtic for the high pressure, the duel was put in Madrid’s face very soon. That is very bad news for any foreigner at the Bernabéu, even if accompanied by thousands of fans, as was the case with the Scottish team. Penalty as clear as it is absurd from Jenz, who tried to cover Valverde’s shot but lost his balance in the attempt and stopped the ball with his hand. The French Frappart saw it clearly and Modric did not hesitate from eleven meters.

The initial blow did not discourage the Scottish champions, but just a few days after Asensio’s controversial handball against Girona, a similar action by O’Riley resulted in the second maximum penalty against Celtic in just 20 minutes. The pitcher changed, now Rodrygo, and also the direction of the hit, to the right of Hart, but the result was the same and with it the obvious feeling of Madridista relief, with the task already well on track and even a couple of occasions by Vinicius that could well have meant the sentence.

Too much white complacency, the result of comfort, as Maeda stood up to Courtois shortly after and only the gigantic figure of the Belgian goalkeeper prevented a return to the field of uncertainty. The Japanese did not show a fang at the moment of truth, like his compatriot Hatate shortly after. That is basically the difference between the European champion and a Celtic distant from that European elite to which they belonged in the sixties. The Catholics showed so much lack of aim that even Juranovic missed the option of the third penalty of the night, the first in favor of the visitors. Courtois corrected the error of Mendy, who had arrived very late at the entrance to Abada.

at half throttle

That penalty was the only foul committed by Madrid in the entire first half, which clearly shows that Ancelotti’s team did not need to work hard to beat Celtic. The second part was even more comfortable. In just five minutes Asensio took a good serve from Carvajal to the net with his left foot from the right flank and thus opened a Scottish ordeal. Kroos and Modric took out the wand so that the control of the ball was absolutely white and then Celtic could only chase shadows.

The rival noticed the fatigue always behind the ball and that was an invitation to the local banquet. Vinicius and then Valverde, in another striking masterclass, took the punishment to the hilt before Jota signed the goal of Scottish honor with a great free kick. It was celebrated by the tireless Catholic fans as a title. His party was in the stands.