Real Madrid secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Celta Vigo in La Liga, thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Federico Valverde. The match at Balaidos saw Aurelien Tchouameni give Madrid an early lead, but Borja Iglesias equalized for the hosts. This result keeps Madrid in the title race, one point behind leaders Barcelona.
Real Madrid traveled to Balaidos needing a win to close the gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona, following recent domestic defeats including a loss to Getafe. Without injured forward Kylian Mbappe, manager Alvaro Arbeloa relied on his squad to deliver against a confident Celta Vigo side that had won its last four matches across competitions and previously beat Madrid 2-0 at the Bernabeu in December.
The game kicked off at 8pm UK time on Friday, March 6, 2026, broadcast on Premier Sports and La Liga TV. Madrid struck first in the 11th minute through a well-executed short corner. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Arda Guler combined to set up Aurelien Tchouameni, who finished calmly into the far corner past goalkeeper Andrei Radu.
Celta Vigo responded aggressively, with Borja Iglesias forcing a save from Thibaut Courtois early on. In the 25th minute, Williot Swedberg recovered a loose ball after Alexander-Arnold's misjudgment, crossing for Iglesias to equalize from close range.
The hosts threatened before halftime, as Iglesias clipped a shot over Courtois and Swedberg drew another save. In the second half, Madrid dominated possession but struggled against Celta's compact defense. Vinicius Junior's long-range effort was routine for Radu, and a potential penalty for handball on Ferran Jutgla was denied by referee Isidro Diaz de Mera after VAR review, citing a prior foul by Tchouameni.
Chances remained limited until the 94th minute, when Alexander-Arnold's cross was cleared to Valverde. His first-time strike deflected off Marcos Alonso and flew into the top corner, securing the three points. Celta nearly stole victory earlier, with substitute Iago Aspas hitting the post.
Madrid's strong away form—27 points from 13 La Liga road games—proved decisive in this tense encounter.
