Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2024-03-09 17:30.
[p]Real Madrid were nowhere near their best against RB Leipzig on Wednesday (D 1-1) but did enough to qualify for the UEFA Champions quarter-finals with their third stalemate in four competitive fixtures (W1). Still possessing a healthy lead at the top of La Liga, it has been a testing week for them so far after they lost their appeal against Jude Bellingham’s red card from last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Valencia.[/p]
[p]Not only will he be absent for two league games, but manager Carlo Ancelotti also has his own legal issues after Spanish prosecutors accused him this week of committing tax fraud during his first spell in charge. The Italian dismissed the issue in front of the press and affirmed he remains fully focused on extending Los Blancos’ 18-game unbeaten streak in La Liga home games (W15, D3) after admitting their midweek fixture was “poorly played”.[/p]
[p]That might offer some encouragement to visiting Celta Vigo, who sit one place above the relegation zone after recording a vital 1-0 win over bottom side AlmerĂa last Friday. It was a timely victory for under-pressure manager Rafa BenĂtez as some reports suggested a defeat would have earned him the sack after they had won just one of their previous seven league fixtures (D2, L4).[/p]
[p]Having also spent time in the Real Madrid dugout, BenĂtez is no stranger to that sort of pressure, and masterminding a first Celta win in an away league H2H since November 2006 (D1, L10) would be an enormous boost for his job security. But with just two away victories all season in La Liga (D5, L6), the embarrassment of ceding a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at Cádiz in their last such game, and BenĂtez’s unwanted record of four straight managerial losses to Ancelotti, the omens are not great for Los Celestes.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Bellingham’s absence could open the door for Brahim DĂaz to add to his tally of four La Liga goals this term, three of which opened the scoring. For the visitors, Celta’s Ă“scar Mingueza has found some useful form of late with two goal contributions in his last two starts (G1, A1).[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Celta conceded after the 85th minute in three of their last four games (W1, D1, L2).[/p]