Real Madrid dominate, inches closer to the La Liga title

Real Madrid have extended their lead to seven points over Girona and are now in pole position to secure their 36th La Liga title.

Real Madrid, the current leaders of La Liga, extended their lead at the top with a comfortable 4-0 victory over struggling Celta Vigo. The match saw two own goals in favor of Real Madrid, contributing to their win.

In the first half, Vinicius Junior managed to convert a rebound from Antonio Rudiger’s header after his initial attempt. As the game progressed, Celta Vigo, led by former Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez, faced difficulties and eventually unraveled.

Rudiger’s powerful header hit the crossbar and deflected off Celta Vigo goalkeeper Vicente Guaita, resulting in an own goal. This effectively secured the victory for Real Madrid with only 11 minutes remaining.

In another unfortunate turn of events for Celta Vigo, Guaita and Carlos Dominguez had a mix-up, leading to Dominguez inadvertently scoring an own goal from a teasing cross by Vinicius.

In the closing moments of the game, Turkish talent Arda Guler, who has faced injury setbacks in his debut season in Spain, came off the bench and scored his first goal for Real Madrid in stoppage time. This impressive performance by Carlo Ancelotti’s team showcased their ability to overcome the absence of the suspended Jude Bellingham.

Vinicius expressed his joy and determination to continue performing at his best, especially with the exciting part of the season approaching. He emphasized the importance of staying injury-free, which has been a challenge for him this season, as he aims to maintain his current form.

Bellingham, who has been the league’s top scorer with 16 goals, was unable to play due to a two-match ban following a red card against Valencia. Despite a lackluster performance in a 1-1 draw against RB Leipzig, Real Madrid managed to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals with a 2-1 aggregate score.

Vinicius let his emotions get the best of him

Real Madrid dominate, inches closer to the La Liga title

Vinicius got a yellow card during the match due to a confrontation with an opponent. On Sunday, the Brazilian once again found himself in a tough situation after aggressively pushing Oscar Mingueza following a few rough pulls on Vinicius’s shirt.

“It was an unfortunate incident. I believe the referee made the right call to book both players. What happened with Vini was a result of frustration, which is understandable,” Ancelotti commented.

“The conversations I have with him are private. It’s a matter we have discussed and will continue to address. It’s not just Vinicius’s issue.”

Despite dropping points in three of their last five league matches, Madrid had managed to close the gap on second-placed Girona as the underdogs’ surprising title challenge began to fade.

Madrid is currently on a 22-game unbeaten streak in La Liga and is eight points ahead of defending champions Barcelona, who are closely trailing Girona in third place.

“It wasn’t too hard to improve from Wednesday,” Ancelotti remarked. “We had a good start, capitalized on set pieces to take the lead, and then finished the job.

“We are pleased, concentrated, and driven because this is a crucial phase of the season. At Real Madrid, a draw is often seen as the beginning of a crisis.”

Celta Vigo remains in 17th place, just two points above the relegation zone.