Celta Vigo Defeats 9‑Man Real Madrid Alonso Faces Pressure

Real Madrid suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Celta Vigo on Sunday, finishing the match with nine men and deepening pressure on manager Xabi Alonso.

The loss leaves the Spanish giants second in La Liga, four points behind leaders Barcelona, after winning only one of their last five league games. It also means they head into Wednesday’s Champions League showdown with Manchester City still nursing a dented confidence.

Alonso, visibly frustrated, told reporters, “We are all angry, evidently, this was not the game we wanted, it was not the result we wanted.” He added, “We have to try and turn the page as quickly as possible. It’s only three points. We have the Champions League game against City to react in, and get this bad taste out of our mouths.”

Seven minutes after the interval, substitute Williot Swedberg flicked a clever finish into the bottom corner for his first league goal, giving Celta an unlikely lead. Real’s hopes dwindled when Fran García received two yellow cards within a minute, reducing the side to ten men in the 64th minute.

Ten minutes later, Alvaro Carreras was shown two rapid yellow cards – one for dissent and another for foul language – leaving Real with just nine players on the pitch as the match entered stoppage time. Swedberg then doubled Celta’s advantage, sealing a historic win.

The victory marks Celta’s first triumph over Real in La Liga since May 2014, ending a 22‑match winless streak against the Spanish powerhouse.

Earlier in the week, Alonso disclosed that he had spoken with club president Florentino Pérez about the team’s dip in form, a meeting that reportedly ended with the manager receiving a yellow card amid rising tensions at the Bernabéu.

Real failed to capitalise on clear chances, with Arda Güler firing narrowly wide and Kylian Mbappé’s chipped effort soaring over the bar. The side also missed Trent Alexander‑Arnold, sidelined for two months with a thigh injury, and saw defender Éder Militao limp off in the 23rd minute after a hamstring pull.

Ghanaian football fans, who closely follow the European giants, now turn their attention to the upcoming clash with Manchester City, hoping their team can recover quickly and restore some pride ahead of the Champions League tie at 20:00 GMT.

The next few days will be crucial for Alonso’s tenure, as the club seeks to halt the slide and re‑ignite its title ambitions both domestically and in Europe.

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