Real Madrid Stars Crumble Against Celta Vigo: Shocking Blunders Expose Deepening Crisis

Real Madrid endured a crushing 2–0 loss to Celta Vigo during their homecoming at the Bernabéu on Sunday.

The Madrid powerhouse failed to find the net for only the third occasion this campaign in what became a catastrophic evening. Beyond earning no points, Éder Militão sustained what appears to be a serious hamstring problem while Fran García and Álvaro Carreras received red cards.

Los Blancos have managed just two victories in their previous seven fixtures across all tournaments, and now sit four points behind Barcelona in the La Liga table.

Real Madrid must recover quickly to prevent another humiliation. The 15-time European titleholders welcome Manchester City on Wednesday evening in a high-profile Champions League encounter.

Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Celta Vigo (4-4-2)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Thibaut Courtois—6.6: Destined for failure with such an improvised defense ahead of him, particularly after two dismissals.

RB: Raúl Asencio—6.4: Attempted to emulate Trent Alexander-Arnold's possession style unsuccessfully. Asencio displayed selfishness with the ball in attacking areas and couldn't establish proper connections with Valverde.

CB: Éder Militão—6.9: Executed an outstanding recovery sprint to stop Celta Vigo's counter-attack but suffered another injury as consequence.

CB: Álvaro Carreras—6.5: The sole defender who delivered a respectable display, only to ruin it with an absurd red card during added time.

LB: Fran García—5.3: Unnecessarily received his marching orders in an unforgivable performance that will have Alonso and supporters doubting his place in the white jersey.

RM: Federico Valverde—7.6: Composed in possession and energetic on the right wing. Valverde lacks authority, however, when Real Madrid require him most.

CM: Arda Güler—7.0: Central to Real Madrid's most threatening opportunities, but missed the decisive touch. Güler's position in Alonso's starting eleven may be questioned.

CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—8.4: Somewhat unsettled without Eduardo Camavinga's extra protection, but stepped up admirably at center-back during the match's final phases.

LM: Jude Bellingham—6.4: Compelled to assist García defensively on the left side, restricting the England star's offensive impact.

ST: Kylian Mbappé—6.6: Generated the most opportunities throughout the evening, but will be remembered solely for his catastrophic miss that could have earned a draw.

ST: Vinicius Junior—6.7: Achieved little impact. The Brazilian appeared predictable with possession and showed limited creativity beyond several promising runs.

Subs not used: Andriy Lunin (GK), Sergio Mestre (GK), Joan Martínez, Dani Ceballos, Eduardo Camavinga, Brahim Díaz, Endrick, Franco Mastantuono.

Celta Vigo (3-4-3)

Starting XI: Ionuț Radu; Javi Rodríguez, Carl Starfelt, Marcos Alonso; Sergio Carreira, Ilaix Moriba, Miguel Román, Óscar Mingueza; Pablo Durán, Borja Iglesias, Bryan Zaragoza.

Subs used: Williot Swedberg, Javi Rueda, Ferran Jutglà, Fran Beltrán, Iago Aspas.

Player of the Match: Ionuț Radu (Celta Vigo)

Real Madrid Player of the Match: Aurélien Tchouaméni

Real Madrid 0–2 Celta Vigo—How It Unfolded at the Bernabéu

Following their demolition of Athletic Club on Wednesday night, Real Madrid entered this weekend's fixture against Celta Vigo full of optimism. However, it became apparent early that Alonso's squad wouldn't replicate that display.

The Spanish champions permitted their opponents extended periods with the ball, depending on their makeshift defensive line and offside calls when required. The team's complacent approach may not have conceded immediately, but it forced Militão into heroics with a superb recovery tackle to prevent Pablo Durán from getting a clear strike on the break.

The Brazilian defender collapsed instantly with an injury and required assistance from two Real Madrid medical personnel. Antonio Rüdiger entered for Militão in the 24th minute as the capacity Bernabéu crowd quietly witnessed another defender heading to the treatment room.

Tension grew within the Spanish capital as the first half neared its end. Alonso's team resorted to long-range efforts that posed no threat to goalkeeper Ionuț Radu before creating several decent opportunities.

The home side's finest scoring chance arrived in the 38th minute. Vinicius Junior produced a classic surge down the left wing, bypassing two defenders, before finding Kylian Mbappé. The French striker then located Arda Güler unmarked near the penalty area, but the 20-year-old dragged his attempt wide.

Real Madrid's first-half struggles persisted after the break. Alonso's players carelessly permitted Celta Vigo to retain possession in midfield before suddenly finding themselves behind 1–0. Raúl Asencio failed to pressure Bryan Zaragoza, who delivered a low cross for Williot Swedberg to guide home.

Jeers echoed around the Bernabéu, not merely for conceding. Los Blancos appeared disinterested in pursuing the ball or applying any pressure. Matters deteriorated when Fran García collected two yellow cards within a minute and departed in the 64th minute.

Mbappé almost dragged his depleted team level in the 73rd minute. The France striker broke clear and had Radu beaten, yet he lifted his chip over the bar. The 26-year-old covered his face with his shirt in frustration.

The situation worsened during injury time for Real Madrid. Álvaro Carreras was dismissed for arguing with officials, reducing his team to nine players. Swedberg's second goal moments later was inevitable, sealing victory for Celta Vigo.

Real Madrid vs. Celta Vigo Halftime Stats

Real Madrid vs. Celta Vigo Full Time Stats