Celta Vigo 2-4 Real Madrid: Solari makes it four wins in four
Goals from Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos, Dani Ceballos, and an own goal from Cabral gave Los Blancos an important three points from Balaidos.
This game away to Celta Vigo was billed as Santiago Solari's first real test as interim manager following expected wins over Mellila, Valladolid and Viktoria Plzen after taking over from Julen Lopetegui. And his trip home from Galicia following the 2-4 victory will be with a smile on his face as wide as that of a student proving his worth.
Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid: match report
Madrid's starting line-up must have given hope to their hosts, a team that sat just three points below them, and with two of LaLiga's hottest strikers, Iago Aspas and Maxi Gomez, lying in wait. The leadership of Sergio Ramos - at least on the pitch - has been a subject of concern in some quarters, and alongside him there was the inexperienced pair of Odriozola and Reguilon, while Nacho has rarely been first choice. The opening exchanges were shared, and then up stepped Karim Benzema to get the night's scoring underway.
When you're a striker under pressure to get back scoring, it's said that any type of goal can get the confidence back. But that is often not the case. When it's a perfectly-timed run, a delicious control on the turn, and a well-placed strike past the keeper, then that can claw back some of the good feeling. And so it proved as the Frenchman chased hard and took up good positions throughout the first half. He was also the creator of the clearest chance which Toni Kroos failed to finish.
Celta, for their part, matched their more illustrious opponents throughout most of the first period and had their chances to change the tone of the match. In fact, had a Yokuslu header been a couple of centimetres further inside the post four minutes before Madrid took the lead, it most certainly could have been a different story. A few flutters aside, we went into the break with just the single goal advantage. By that point, however, Solari had been forced to substitute the injured Casemiro and Reguilón.
The second half began fairly balanced and then Benzema turned the tie even more in the favour of the visitors. A shake of the hips turned the defender, that allowed him to nutmeg his way past, and then as he fired towards goal the ball took an incredible deflection of goalkeeper Alvarez onto the post, and then in off the covering Cabral. 'Does Solari have Zidane's fortune?' some were asking. Five minutes later, with still half an hour to play, Celta's tails were up. Pressing and pushing to get something they deserved, and the goal did indeed come, from a lovely volley from Mallo.
As a contest this game was over. There was still time for Cabral to receive a second yellow and hit the showers early, Dani Ceballos to ping in an unstoppable drive into the top corner, and Brais Mendez to fire past Courtois in the final action of the match. Solari has four wins out of four, and although there is still plenty work to do to convince anyone that this team is a serious challenger for the Liga title, he's more than likely done enough to get the green light to continue. Barça's loss at home to Betis means there's just four points between them, and momentum can do crazy things in football...
Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid: minute-by-minute
Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid: match preview
Real Madrid travel to Balaídos looking for their fourth win in a row. Following the perceived 'crisis' at the club under Julen Lopetegui, this run with interim manager Santiago Solari would, in normal cicumstances, be seen as a massive turn around. The manager, the players, and any sane Madridistas, will know that tonight's game is the first real test of the new reign.
Celta Vigo
The home side have been a solid bet for most of this season when in amongst their own fans, losing just once this season. And with Iago Aspas and Maxi Gomez up top, they have enough to cause a suspect Madrid defence problems. They'll see no reason to sit back, given the form of their opponents and will fancy their chances of an upset.
Real Madrid
Solari knows how important three points are tonight. Although the points cannot lift his side to a higher position in the league, it would mean that they would finish the weekend just four points off league leaders Barça. Melilla, Valladolid and Plzen have given Los Blancos a tidy 11-0 net score, although the latter two games certainly had moments of concern. Marcelo and Varane remain out injured while Vinicius will hope for more playing time off the bench.