La Liga
Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid Preview
Real Madrid begin their season on the road at Celta Vigo after a pre-season filled with more questions than answers.
- Date: August 17th 2019
- Time: 11 a.m. EST
- Networks: USA: beIN Sports, FuboTV
- Location: Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain
- Venue: Estadio Municipal de Balaídos
- Seating Capacity: 29,000
Both clubs will be eager to make great starts to the league following disappointing seasons last year. While Celta barely escaped relegation, their illustrious visitors finished third. A disappointing 19 points behind rivals Barcelona.
Although the hosts are expected to present a challenge for Madrid, questions surround how well new signings such as Denis Suarez are integrated into their new team. Regardless, top scorer Iago Aspas will pose the usual threat as he seeks to make up for the loss of the 13 goals that went to Valencia with the sale of Maxi Gomez.
On the other side, Zinedine Zidane’s team is full of the same familiar names. Many eyes will be on the Frenchman’s team to see what kind of formation he selects and how it performs. The three time UCL winning coach finished the pre-season experimenting with a 3-5-2 and is likely to continue utilizing it with the players he trusts most.
Team News
Celta Vigo’s manager Fran Escribá will be without new signing Santi Mina for his sides opening match. The Spanish forward continues to recover from an ankle injury alongside team captain Hugo Mallo (hamstring). However, Denis Suarez and Joseph Aidoo should both make their debuts for their new club on the wing and in defense respectively. As well as Gabriel Fernandez in the attacking third.
In Madrid’s case, the whites are missing several players to hamstring injuries. Most notably is Eden Hazard who is joined by fellow newcomer Ferland Mendy, Rodrygo and Brahim Diaz. Furthermore, Dani Carvajal is ineligible due to a suspension carrying over from last year. While Alvaro Odriozola will fill in at right back, Isco is likely to replace Hazard in attack as Karim Benzema’s main attacking partner.
Expected Lineups and Prediction
Celta Vigo XI: Ruben; Kevin, Araujo, Aidoo, Olaza; Suarez, Beltran, Lobotka, Mendez; Fernandez, Aspas.
Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Varane, Ramos, Militao; Odriozola, Modric, Casemiro, Kroos, Marcelo; Isco, Benzema.
Despite Real Madrid’s disappointing campaign last year, the team still managed to defeat Celta in both meetings. As a matter of fact, you would have to go back to 2014 to find a time the hosts got the better of the Spanish giants.
Nevertheless, Escribá’s team have the firepower necessary to topple Real in their season opener and could easily find holes in a defense that conceded 19 goals in pre-season competition.
No one really has any idea what to expect from Zidane’s ‘new’ team and Saturday’s match, but a safe bet would be that this team bursting with experience finds a way to get the 3 points for a trophy rumored to be their priority.
Celta de Vigo 1 – 2 Real Madrid
Written by Chris Cartwright
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Photo credit to Real Madrid via Flickr
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