Written by: Rory Munson
Location: Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain
Date: December 7th, 2025
Kickoff: 21:00 CET
Coverage: Local La Liga broadcasters + global streaming partners
Projected Line-ups:
Real Madrid (4-3-3 / 4-2-3-1)
GK: Courtois
DEF: Ascencio – Eder Militao – Cerreras – Garcia
MID: Guler – Bellingham – Valverde – Tchoua
ATT: Rodrygo – Vinícius Jr.
Celta de Vigo (3-4-2-1)
GK: Radu
DEF: Alonso, Starfelt, Rodriguez
MID: Mingueza– Moriba– Roman – Carreira
ATT: Zaragoza – Duran
S: Iglesia
Injury Report:
Real Madrid: Alexander-Arnold is expected to miss two months, as Camavinga’s ankle injury will be monitored.
Celta de Vigo: Joseph Aidoo made an early exit from Celta’s midweek cup game and may miss out here.
Match Preview & Storylines:
Real Madrid will aim to control possession, dominate midfield through Kroos and Modrić’s experience, and attack with pace and creativity on the wings (Vinícius Jr. and Rodrygo) linking with Benzema upfront. Their game plan will likely revolve around territorial dominance, quick transitions, and high pressing. All in an attempt to unbalance Celta’s defense early.
Celta de Vigo, on the other hand, will likely sit deeper, stay compact in midfield, and try to hit on the counter or exploit mistakes. With experienced forwards like Iago Aspas and fresh legs in midfield, they’ll look to absorb pressure and carve chances on transitions or set pieces.
Key battles: Madrid’s full-backs pushing high vs Celta’s wing play; midfield control vs Celta’s compact blocks; transition speed vs defensive solidity.
What to Headlines to Watch!
- “Can Madrid’s creative midfield and wing speed finally crack Celta’s compact defence?”
- “Celta’s resilience tested: will experience and counter-attack pay off against Madrid pressure?”
- “Rotation gamble: does freshness trump cohesion for Real Madrid tonight?”
- “Wing duel: Vinícius Jr. & Rodrygo vs Celta full-backs — who wins the flank battle?”
Post-Match Analysis
Coming as a shock and a punch in the gut for Real Madrid, Celta Vigo came into the Bernabéu and produced one of the most disciplined and opportunistic performances of their season as Celta defeated Real Madrid 2–0. For Madrid, this was a nightmare of a match. Their loss is attributed by the missed chances, outstanding goalkeeping by Ionut Radu, and two red cards that left Madrid finishing the match with nine men.
FIRST HALF: CHANCES BUT NO BREAKTHROUGH
Real Madrid opened the match aggressively, dictating the tempo with quick, short passing sequences to control the tempo of the match. However, Celta’s back line—anchored by the man of the match, Ionut Radu. Celta was incredible at absorbing the pressure with well-timed tackles and counters.
Missed opportunities killed Real Madrid. Arda Güler produced multiple moments of danger, including a 16th-minute breakaway saved by Radu and another golden opportunity in the 38th minute that rolled inches wide. Jude Bellingham also missed a clear header from a corner, one of five first-half Madrid corners that ultimately yielded nothing. In contrast, Celta wasn’t threatened in transition; Bryan Zaragoza and Ilaix Moriba kept Madrid’s defense honest with quick runs through the channels.
Despite Madrid’s dominance in possession, the sides went into halftime scoreless—with the Bernabéu growing restless and Celta gaining confidence.
SECOND HALF: CELTA STRIKES, MADRID UNRAVELS
(The match’s turning point came early into the second half).
54’ — Williot Swedberg’s Back-Heel Stunner (0–1)
Just minutes after entering as an injury substitute, Swedberg delivered a moment of pure class: a clever “back-heel” finish inside the box to give Celta the lead. The goal absolutely silenced the stadium and shifted the momentum entirely.
Real Madrid responded with urgency, and Valverde, Vinicius, and Mbappé all tested Radu—but the Romanian goalkeeper continued producing world-class saves, keeping his side in front.
Madrid’s Discipline Collapses
- Pressure turned to frustration. In the span of 15 chaotic minutes:
- Fran García picked up two yellows, leaving Madrid with 10 men in the 65th minute amid heavy protests from the home crowd.
- The attack grew increasingly desperate, resulting in rushed shots from Tchouaméni, Rodrygo, and Valverde—all well-off target.
- Defensive transitions became shaky, allowing Celta to exploit space.
- Madrid pushed numbers forward, but Celta—organized, patient, and opportunistic—waited for the perfect moment to finish the match.
90+3’ — Swedberg Seals It (0–2) (A highlight-reel moment and the definitive blow)
With Madrid down to nine men after Álvaro Carreras’ late dismissal from a Red. Celta punished the hosts. Iago Aspas released Swedberg for a breakaway, and the young midfielder buried his second goal of the match with a composed one-on-one finish past Courtois.
KEY PERFORMANCES:
Celta Vigo:
Williot Swedberg: A stunning two-goal performance off the bench. Clinical, calm, and decisive.
Ionut Radu: Man of the Match contender. Produced at least seven critical saves, keeping Celta alive through Madrid’s first-half onslaught.
Defensive Unit: Oscar Mingueza, Carreira, and Moriba were excellent in pressure moments, despite multiple physical battles.
Real Madrid:
Arda Güler: Bright but wasteful—multiple chances created but no finishing product.
Kylian Mbappé: Involved in the buildup but lacked sharpness in front of goal.
Discipline Issues: Two red cards (Fran García, Carreras) and frustration-driven play derailed Madrid’s late comeback attempts.
VERDICT
This match will be remembered for:
- Celta Vigo’s tactical discipline and clinical finishing
- A great goalkeeping display from Ionut Radu
- Real Madrid’s wastefulness and emotional unraveling
- The emergence of Williot Swedberg for Celta
Despite dominating stretches of play, Madrid was undone by inefficiency in the final third, defensive injuries, and poor composure. Celta, meanwhile, capitalized brilliantly on their limited chances to secure a statement win at the Bernabéu.
