Celta vs Real Madrid: Xabi Alonso’s First La Liga Loss

Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid returns to square one ahead of Manchester City’s demanding visit to the Bernabéu. Precisely on their return to the La Castellana coliseum, 36 days later, the white team confirmed that the resounding victory against Athletic in San Mamés was a mere mirage, the result more of the success of Mbappé and the saves of Courtois than of a step forward in terms of the game.

This was corroborated by a real debacle against a good Celta, who attacked Chamartín with a double from Williot Swedberg to leave a Madrid that was left without the injured Militao very shaken and will lose the expelled Fran García and Carreras for the next league match, against Alavés in Mendizorroza. When he wanted to take a step forward, Xabi Alonso’s team, once again lazy in pressure and defensive performance, was already behind on the scoreboard and with one less player. His reaction in the final stretch, late and insufficient.

Xabi Alonso, who will once again be under the microscope against Guardiola’s City, gave the alternative to Asencio, along with Militao and Carreras, a left-footed center back in a defensive line of three, with Valverde and Fran García as wingers, a scheme that in the offensive phase placed the Uruguayan and the Canary Islander as winger and right back, respectively. Meanwhile, Arda Güler returned to the engine room, along with Tchouaméni, since Camavinga was not at 100%.

The Turk, somewhat disappointing in his last performances and weighed down by a certain lack of definition, faced a revalidation to also determine his fit with Bellingham, again impossible. In front, a Celta team that, true to its style, jumped into the Bernabéu ready to fight without giving up the ball. Good performance by the Galician team, favored, yes, by a relaxed Madrid pressure.

A flash of quality on Güler’s left foot, capable of beating Mingueza with a good technical gesture, generated the first option of the match, the predecessor of an even better opportunity from Bellingham, a good header who, in tandem with Militao, was met with Radu’s gliding after a corner kick.

The match was going on without major incidents when another bad news arrived for Xabi Alonso in the form of an injury. Militao, so frequent in the infirmary in recent times, broke down in a speed fight against Pablo Durán. Disastrous setback for Real Madrid, with their best centre-back of the moment out of play, facing the way to the locker room barely able to walk, and an even further backline in the frame for the Champions League duel against City.

Militao’s injury further cooled a match in which Madrid had not warmed up. Just two attempts by Asencio and Rüdiger from a distance, caresses for a comfortable Celta. Without spaces, in the first half there was very little of Mbappé and Vinicius, who, yes, in their only specific appearance they created a good opportunity for Güler that the Ottoman could not take advantage of with a somewhat rushed shot. Poor initial delivery from the white team, and it could have been worse in a good play by Celta that, just before leaving injured, Pablo Durán failed to finish.

A good attempt at a goal by Vinicius, on the only occasion in which the Brazilian was able to exploit his virtues into space after a long pass, closed a lukewarm initial act by Real Madrid. Xabi Alonso’s team needed one more march to avoid another league setback, but what they found after the restart was a blow. Excellent resource from Williot to define and take advantage of Madrid’s passivity in the defensive aspect.

Harakiri white

Hurried by the result, the Guipuzcoan coach introduced Rodrygo into the equation, undoing the initial approach with a more offensive bet. And Chamartín’s team desperately needed overflow on the wing. However, the truth is that Celta took possession of the ball, causing the Bernabéu to whistle. Madrid, a nervous wreck, finally became unhinged with an inexplicable double yellow to Fran García in just one minute.

In inferiority, Madrid only had its proverbial star left in the middle of the chaos. It was the white team’s turn, now applying the pressure, but this time they did not have the gunpowder of Mbappé, who sent high an attempt to surprise Radu from above. Xabi Alonso’s team insisted, better with ten, and came close to equalizing with a slightly deflected header from Gonzalo, but not even that was saved by a very late reaction, definitively dissolved by a chaotic epilogue. Carreras also earned the expulsion, as a result of frustration, and in the middle of the barrage of cards and the white harakiri Williot sealed the celestial victory.