Celta pull off Madrid shock

Celta Vigo held on for a famous Copa del Rey giant-killing as a 2-2 draw was enough to eliminate Real Madrid and see the Galicians into the semi-finals.

Casemiro started in central defence for an attack-minded Madrid as they looked to overturn their 2-1 deficit against Celta, although Los Blancos’ task was made harder by the fact the Galicians had two away goals to their name.

Renowned for their aggressive playing styles, both sides showed no lack of desire to get forward in a cagey first half. Cristiano Ronaldo’s dummy fooled the Celta backline and found an unmarked Isco on the edge of the hosts’ box, but the midfielder snatched at his shot, leaving Sergio Alvarez with an easy save.

Kiko Casilla then came to Madrid’s rescue when he sprung off his line to punch the ball over Iago Aspas, who had been away in the clear after he ran onto a through pass.

At the other end, Ronaldo hit the woodwork twice in the space of a few seconds. The Portuguese’s header on the end of a left-wing delivery was tipped onto the crossbar by Sergio, before the No 7 could only flick the rebound onto the post first time.

Celta were then almost gifted the opening goal through Casemiro, whose clearance from deep dropped straight to an unmarked Aspas, but the striker’s cutback was cleared off the line by the Brazilian.

The chances continued to come and go in either box. Sergio Ramos ghosted into the Celta area from a corner, but his header was caught by Sergio, while John Guidetti forced Casilla into a close-range stop.

However, it was the home side who went into the break on top as Guidetti’s shot ricocheted off Danilo and into the back of Casilla’s net.

Celta controlled the opening 15 minutes of the restart, until Ronaldo magnificently blasted one of several free kicks just outside the Galicians’ box past Sergio.

Madrid should’ve made it 2-1 from Toni Kroos’s curling free kick towards Sergio’s far post, however an unmarked Ramos failed to guide his header on target from a couple of yards out.

Not for the first time, Celta sprang Madrid’s offside trap through Daniel Wass. Casilla was again forced to depart Los Blancos’ box and slide the ball to safety.

Nonetheless, the goalkeeper could do nothing when the ball was laid on a silver platter by Celta new boy Jozabed Sanchez for Wass to acutely side-foot home with five minutes of normal time remaining.

Madrid managed to pull a goal back at the death through Lucas Vazquez, but their wait for a last-four place in the Copa del Rey was ultimately extended to three years.

Celta Vigo 2-2 Real Madrid (4-3 agg.)

Danilo og 44, Wass 85 (CV) Ronaldo 62, Lucas 90 (RM)

Celta Vigo: Sergio; Mallo, Cabral, Roncaglia, Jonny; Wass (Gomez 88), Diaz, Radoja, Bongonda; Aspas (Fontas 90), Guidetti (Jozabed 84)

Real Madrid: Casilla; Danilo, Ramos, Casemiro (Mariano 89), Nacho; Kovacic, Kroos, Isco (Morata 80); Asensio (Lucas 76), Benzema, Ronaldo

Referee: Sanchez Martinez

La Liga - Club News