Real Madrid host Celta Vigo at Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday in La Liga with the home side seven points clear at the summit and the away outfit 17th in the table and five points ahead of Cadiz who currently top the relegation zone. Real squeezed past RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 in midweek to reach the quarterfinals with a 1-1 draw at home after a 1-0 win in Germany. Carlo Ancelotti's men also drew with Valencia last weekend with Vini Jr. netting twice which came on top of a draw with Rayo Vallecano which still keeps them ahead of Girona by seven points. Los Merengues boast La Liga's second-strongest home record this term with 35 points from a possible 39 with only seven goals conceded.
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Wins over Celta and then Osasuna would be ideal heading into the first international break of 2024 before meeting Athletic Club but visiting Celta need points. Rafa Benitez's side are doing their best to keep their heads above water with 11 games to go and the Galicians have not been out of the topflight since 2012. Wins over Cadiz and Almeria -- both below Celta in the table -- have steadied the ship somewhat. With 11 points on the road, all is not lost for Benitez's side but Celta have not beaten Real since 2014 and have lost their last seven meetings.
Here's our storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Sunday, March 10 | Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Santiago Bernabeu -- Madrid, Spain
- TV: ESPN Deportes | Stream: Fubo (try for free)
- Odds: Real -350; Draw +480; Celta +850
Team news
Real: Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao and David Alaba are all out for at least another month or so with the Austria international's season already over. Jude Bellingham's two-game La Liga ban stands so expect Ancelotti to consider Rodrygo, Luka Modric and Brahim Diaz with Aurelien Tchouameni possibly replacing Nacho at the back.
Potential Real XI: Lunin; Carvajal, Rudiger, Tchouameni, Mendy; Valverde, Modric, Kroos; Diaz, Rodrygo, Vinicius.
Celta: Renato Tapia, Joseph Aidoo, Miguel Rodriguez and Mihailo Ristic are all out while Williot Swedberg and Carlos Dotor are doubts. Iago Aspas is back from suspension and could partner with Jorgen Strand Larsen up top. Benitez should go with more or less the team that faced Almeria. Jonathan Bamba on the left with Oscar Mingueza in front of Javier Manquillo could be the way Benitez goes here.
Potential Celta XI: Guaita; Manquillo, Starfelt, U Nunez, Sanchez; Mingueza, Beltran, De la Torre, Bamba; Larsen, Aspas.
Prediction
Celta will try to make life difficult for Real but the home side should ultimately come out on top. Expect Ancelotti to get the better of Benitez by a goal or two as these two former Everton bosses go head-to-head. Pick: Real 2, Celta 1.
