WHO: Celta Vigo-Real Madrid
That: Spanish football league
Where: Balaídos Stadium in Vigo, Spain
When: Friday, March 5 at 9:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m. GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera’s live coverage begins at 17:00 GMT.
After consecutive defeats, Real Madrid will try to get back to their winning ways in La Liga before facing their new European enemy.
Recommended stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Madrid have fallen to consecutive defeats in the League, 2-1 at Osasuna and a 1-0 implosion against lowly Getafe at their own Bernabéu stadium.
On Friday, they will try to bounce back against Celta Vigo while they are four points behind leaders Barcelona.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at a few days that could define the season for Los Blancos.
Arbeloa says that Real Madrid’s focus is fully on Celta Vigo
After the match against Celta, Álvaro Arbeloa’s team can fully concentrate on their home game against Manchester City to begin the Champions League round of 16 tie next week.
Madrid and City have met in the knockout rounds for the previous four years, with Madrid advancing the last two times at the expense of Pep Guardiola’s team. City, however, already beat Madrid this season in the regular season.
Arbeloa, however, says his team will not overlook the Vigo match and reverse their form in the Spanish top flight.
“In a team like Real Madrid, defeat is always difficult to face due to expectations and demands, but right now the only thing we are thinking about is the (Celta) game,” coach Arbeloa said on Thursday. “That’s the only thing we’re worried about.”
How is the League shaping up for Real Madrid and Celta de Vigo?
Celta, ranked sixth, has four wins in a row, covering the League and Europa League.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid hopes to reduce the gap with leaders Barcelona to one point, which visits Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
“We are four points away, not 18. This is Real Madrid. As long as mathematically we can fight, we will, and if there comes a time when we can no longer fight, we will continue fighting,” said Arbeloa, who replaced Xabi Alonso as coach in January.
“In the locker room we are aware that there is still a lot of season left.
“We have had two consecutive league defeats. Of course, in a club like Real Madrid, defeat is always difficult to handle because of the expectations and pressure, but now the only thing we are thinking about is tomorrow’s game.”
What happened the last time Celta Vigo played against Real Madrid?
Celta surprised Real earlier this season with a 2-0 victory at the Estadio Bernabéu in La Liga.
Williot Swedberg scored a double in the second half of the December 7 match, in which three Real players were sent off.
Fran García was shown the red card just after Swedberg’s first goal in the 54th minute, while Endrick and Álvaro Carreras were ordered off in injury time.
What happened in the corresponding match between Celta de Vigo and Real Madrid last season?
Real Madrid recorded a 2-1 against Celta in the same match last season.
Kylian Mbappé got Los Blancos on track in the first half, before Swedberg equalized early in the second, only for Vinicius to score the winner in the 66th minute.
Face to face
This will be the 139th meeting between both teams, of which Real Madrid won 82. Celta has been victorious on 35 occasions.
Stats attack – Celta vs Real
Despite Celta’s victory against Real earlier this season, they have not won a home game against Los Blancos since 2014.
The Madrid club has won nine of 11 trips to Vigo since then.
Celta de Vigo team news
Striker Borja Iglesias, who has 14 goals this season, returns after suspension.
Marcos Alonso, Carl Starfelt and Pablo Durán are all injured and will be sidelined for Real’s visit.
Celta Vigo’s planned lineup
Radu; Rodríguez, Aidoo, Domínguez; Mingueza, Román, Moriba, Carreira; Jutgla, Iglesias, Álvarez.
real madrid team news
Madrid striker and top scorer in the league, Kylian Mbappé, is out with a sprained left knee. Jude Bellingham is sidelined with a left thigh injury and Rodrygo is out for the rest of the season after tearing his ACL.
“I talk to him every day,” Arbeloa said of Mbappé. “Every day it’s getting better; it’s a process where we’re taking it day by day.”
Dani Ceballos, David Alaba and Eder Militao are also injured.
Franco Mastantuono is suspended after his red card against Getafe, while Álvaro Carreras and Dean Huijsen have reached historic yellow card numbers, so they will also miss out.
“When you are winning and everyone is playing well, it is easy to wear this shirt,” added Arbeloa, who insisted that he will not “make excuses” for injuries.
“We need to show our true potential now. It is in times like this that you see if we are worthy of wearing this jersey and this badge.”
Real Madrid’s planned lineup
Courtois Alexander-Arnold, Asensio, Rudiger, F García; Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Güler; G García, Vinicius
Celta de Vigo and Real Madrid form guides
Celta de Vigo form (all competitions – last match):
Real Madrid form (all competitions – last match: last match):
