Immediate reaction: Celta Vigo 1-2 Real Madrid

Celta Vigo 1-2 Real Madrid (Mbappé & Vinicius Junior). Three points on the road. Here is the first reaction of the match. More to see: player notes, all quotes and a post-match podcast.

The international break was over and it was time for Real Madrid to get straight back into the league at Celta Vigo. All the attacking stars returned to their usual places in the team, with Fran García starting at left back in defense. Lucas Vázquez came on at the other end, while Thibaut Courtois was back in goal. Ferland Mendy was on the bench alongside names like Luka Modrić and Endrick. Lucas Vázquez was captain of Real Madrid today.

Celta Vigo missed the first effort of the match, with a false kick keeping the score level. Fede Valverde then tested the keeper early on to earn Madrid’s first chance. The next chance would lead to the first goal, as Kylian Mbappé chose the power of a rebound to leave no prisoners and give his team the lead. Celta quickly bounced back with a goal of their own, but the offside flag cut short the celebrations early. Vinícius Júnior then almost scored with a header, nodding Mbappé’s cross just over the bar. Halftime, 1-0 in Madrid.

Jude Bellingham started the action in the second half with a great run before narrowly missing the target. The home side would then add a twist to the intrigue, with a superb strike to beat Thibaut Courtois and make it a match. Just like in the first half, the opposing team immediately rebounded, only to be caught offside. Vinícius was this time brought back by the officials. He wouldn’t miss another, and after Luka Modrić became Real Madrid’s oldest player ever, he allowed the Brazilian to restore the Whites’ lead. Celta again tried to immediately get things back, and this time the flag was lowered, but Courtois was instead on his feet to meet the oncoming striker. Another home effort fell inches short of the bar as Madrid struggled to defend. They would only be threatened again at the moment of death, when a point-blank shot would be far too close for comfort. Madrid managed to finish out the final seconds with relative ease. Final score: Celta Vigo 1-2 Real Madrid. Happy with that?