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Copa del Rey | Round of 16
Jan 16, 2025 at 8.30pm UK
Estadio Santiago Bernabeu
CV

Real Madrid
5 - 2
Celta Vigo

Mbappe (37'), Junior (48'), Endrick (108', 119'), Valverde (112')
Asencio del Rosario (90+1'), Endrick (109')
FT
(aet)
Bamba (83'), Alonso (90+1' pen.)
Villar (96'), Alonso (101'), Starfelt (101'), Iglesias (111')

Preview: Real Madrid vs. Celta Vigo - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: Real Madrid vs. Celta Vigo - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Thursday's Copa del Rey clash between Real Madrid and Celta Vigo, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

Real Madrid will look to bounce back from their Spanish Super Cup disappointment when they welcome Celta Vigo to the Santiago Bernabeu for Thursday's Copa del Rey clash.

Los Blancos secured their place in the last 16 with a 5-0 win over Deportivo Minera, while Celta came from behind to beat Racing Santander in their third-round tie.


Match preview

Real Madrid have experienced a busy start to the calendar year, competing in four matches in the first half of January, compared to the two matches that Celta have been involved in this month.

Los Blancos kicked off 2025 with a 2-1 league win over Valencia and a dominant cup outing against Minera, before they travelled to Saudi Arabia to defend the Spanish Super Cup that they won back in 2024.

Carlo Ancelotti eased into the final with a 3-0 win over Mallorca, but while Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring in Sunday's showpiece event against Barcelona, it proved to be a forgettable outing for Los Blancos, conceding four goals in the first half of a 5-2 defeat.

What made matters worse was the fact that the result represented their second heavy El Clasico defeat in the space of three months after they slumped to a 4-0 loss in October's La Liga home clash with Barcelona.

After failing to clinch the silverware in Saudi Arabia, Real Madrid will be desperate to avoid any slip-ups in Thursday's Copa del Rey clash against Celta, with Los Blancos hoping to go all the way to win the competition for the 21st time in their history.

They have enjoyed success in recent outings at the Santiago Bernabeu, having won their last five competitive home games by a combined 16-2 scoreline.

Real Madrid have also fared well in recent games against Celta, winning each of their previous nine head-to-head meetings, including a 2-1 victory in October's trip to Balaidos.

While Real Madrid entered the Copa del Rey in the third round, Celta have had to negotiate three cup ties to set up their upcoming trip to the Spanish capital.

The Galician outfit scored 12 goals across the first two rounds to dispatch UD San Pedro and Salamanca UDS, but they were forced to work much harder in their most recent Copa del Rey outing against second-tier Racing Santander.

Celta staged a late turnaround to overturn a 2-1 deficit against 10-man Santander, pulling level thanks to an 86th-minute own goal before Alfon Gonzalez found the net in stoppage time to clinch a 3-2 victory.

Los Celestes were unable to experience similar success in Friday's league game against Rayo Vallecano, falling to a 2-1 defeat in Vallecas to leave them in 12th position in La Liga.

They will now be fully focused on Thursday's trip to the Santiago Bernabeu, knowing that they will have to spring a surprise if they are to keep their dreams alive of winning the Copa del Rey for the first time in their history.

Celta may be able to draw upon their success at this stage of last season's competition when they recorded a 3-1 away victory over Valencia to progress to the quarter-finals.

The visitors will be fully aware of the fact that they have not beaten Real Madrid since January 2017, although that 2-1 away win did take place in the Copa del Rey, with Celta recording a 4-2 aggregate victory to progress on that occasion.

Real Madrid Copa del Rey form:


Real Madrid form (all competitions):


Celta Vigo Copa del Rey form:


Celta Vigo form (all competitions):



Team News

Real Madrid remain without Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal, who are out for the rest of the season due to anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

David Alaba is on the verge of returning to competitive action for the first time since December 2023, with the Austrian expected to be included in the squad after being an unused substitute in both Spanish Super Cup matches.

Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham and Mbappe are all expected to be ready to start despite working away from the group in Tuesday's training session.

However, midfielder Eduardo Camavinga is struggling with illness and is seemingly a doubt for Thursday's Copa del Rey fixture.

Real Madrid lost their appeal against Vinicius Junior's red card against Valencia earlier this month, but with his ban only applicable to La Liga, he will be free to feature in the forward line against Celta.

As for the visitors, they will have to cope with their captain Iago Aspas, who is currently on the sidelines with a muscle injury.

Marcos Alonso, who was sent off at the weekend, is set to miss the cup outing with an ankle problem, before he serves his ban in Sunday's league meeting with Athletic Bilbao.

Gonzalez is set to be out for around three weeks after picking up an injury in Friday's trip to Vallecas, ensuring that the round-two match-winner will not be available for the last 16 fixtures.

In positive news, Mihailo Ristic has returned to training following a spell on the sidelines, while Javier Rodriguez is available following a one-match ban.


Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe

Celta Vigo possible starting lineup:
Villar; Rodriguez, Dominguez, Starfelt; Mingueza, Beltran, Moriba, Cervi; Duran, Bamba, Iglesias


We say: Real Madrid 3-1 Celta Vigo

After suffering a demoralising defeat in the Spanish Super Cup final, Real Madrid will be determined to produce a positive response in Thursday's cup fixture, and taking into account their recent run of five consecutive home wins, we think that Los Blancos will sweep past Celta to reach the quarter-finals.



For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.




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Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Real Madrid23155351222950
2Atletico MadridAtletico23147238152349
3Barcelona23153564253948
4Athletic Bilbao23128336201644
5Villarreal23117546341240
6Rayo Vallecano239862724335
7Real Sociedad2394102020031
8GironaGirona2494113235-331
9Osasuna2371062832-431
10Mallorca2394102029-931
11Getafe247982018230
12Real BetisBetis237882731-429
13Celta Vigo2384113437-328
14Sevilla237792534-928
15Las PalmasLas Palmas2365122838-1023
16Espanyol2365122235-1323
17Leganes2358101932-1323
18Valencia2357112437-1322
19AlavesAlaves2356122535-1021
20Real ValladolidValladolid2343161548-3315
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