Celta floor Madrid at Bernabeu

Celta Vigo inflicted a second successive defeat on Real Madrid as goals from Iago Aspas and Jonny secured a first leg Copa victory at the Bernabeu.

Aspas opened the scoring with a typically clinical finish in the 64th minute – his 13th strike in his last 13 games – and whilst Marcelo equalised five minutes later, within 58 seconds Jonny had restored Celta’s lead.

It’s the second defeat for Los Blancos in four days following their late loss at Sevilla on Sunday, having previously been undefeated for a record-breaking 40 matches.

Lucas Vazquez – the liveliest of Madrid’s front three throughout the half – had the first shot in anger in the third minute, but it looped into Sergio’s hands for a comfortable save.

Vazquez was involved again moments later as he headed Marco Asensio’s dangerous cross back across goal but the visitors cleared with ease.

Celta’s best chance of the half came in the 13th minute – Iago Aspas broke free behind the Madrid defence on a two-on-one attack but his fizzed cross evaded Daniel Wass in the middle.

The Galicians nearly caught out the hosts again on the half hour mark with another attack down the left – again exposing the vulnerable Danilo – with Theo Bongonda cross eventually coming out to Marcelo Diaz, but his stinging effort was saved by Casilla.

Eight minutes before the break, Cristiano Ronaldo had the ball in the net but it was correctly ruled out for offside with the Portuguese star straying beyond the Celta backline from Luka Modric’s pass.

Moments later, Ronaldo went down under Gustavo Cabral’s challenge in the area but it would have been a harsh penalty award, and the referee waved play on.

Zinedine Zidane had to reshuffle his attack at the start of the second half after Asensio was forced off with a shoulder injury following Facundo Roncaglia’s challenge, with Alvaro Morata introduced in his place.

Just before the hour mark, substitute Morata had the game’s best opening as he found space inside the area but blazed his effort over the bar.

Twenty minutes into the half, Eduardo Berizzo’s side stunned the home crowd by taking the lead – Bongonda galloped into the acres of space down the winger left vacant by Danilo and despite his cross not reaching target of Wass, the ball fell kindly to Aspas to fire Celta in front.

Just five minutes later and Madrid were level, a half-cleared corner found an unmarked Marcelo on the edge of the area and his volley deflected off Roncaglia and flew past Sergio to level proceedings.

Incredibly, Celta were back in front a minute later – 58 seconds to be exact – as Vazquez was robbed of possession in the middle of the pitch by Wass who fed left-back Jonny to run through on goal and slot home.

The home side had one final golden chance to avoid defeat, but substitute Karim Benzema blazed over from six yards and the Galicians impressively held on to a deserved win.

La Liga - Club News