Celta Vigo shock nine-man Real Madrid in 2–0 Bernabeu upset
Real Madrid suffered a bruising 2–0 home defeat to Celta Vigo in La Liga on Sunday, collapsing into disarray after two red cards left them with nine players at the Santiago Bernabeu. The result marks Celta’s first league victory in Madrid since 2006 and piles further pressure on head coach Xabi Alonso ahead of a crucial Champions League fixture against Manchester City.
A dominant start turns to disaster
Real Madrid controlled much of the first half with Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, and Arda Guler testing Celta’s defense, yet they failed to find the final touch. After the break, the match swung dramatically in favor of the visitors when Swedish forward Williot Swedberg came off the bench to score with a stunning backheel finish from Bryan Zaragoza’s cross in the 53rd minute.
Moments later, Real’s composure unraveled. Fran Garcia was dismissed for two quick yellow cards within a minute after successive fouls. Reduced to ten men, Madrid still pressed forward, with Kylian Mbappe narrowly missing a chip over goalkeeper Ionut Radu in a rare chance to equalize.
Red cards and frustration
Tension mounted as the hosts’ protests grew. In stoppage time, Alvaro Carreras received a second booking for arguing with referee Alejandro Quintero Gonzalez, reportedly calling him “terrible.” Swedberg then sealed the win by rounding Thibaut Courtois and calmly slotting into the empty net to complete his brace.
The night ended in further embarrassment when substitute Endrick was shown a red card after the final whistle for confronting the fourth official.
Pressure builds ahead of European test
The defeat leaves Real Madrid with only one win in their last five league matches and four points behind leaders Barcelona. Alonso’s side also lost defender Eder Militao to a suspected hamstring injury, raising further concerns ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Manchester City.
Celta Vigo, meanwhile, celebrated a landmark result that eases their relegation worries and underscores their fighting spirit against Spain’s elite.
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