MADRID — Strikes either side of half-time from Marco Asensio and Eder Militao helped Real Madrid move temporarily within eight points of La Liga leaders Barcelona with a 2-0 win over Celta Vigo.
After three more league games, Madrid will play Osasuna on May 6 in the Copa del Rey final. Just three days later, the Champions League holder hosts Manchester City in the semi-finals.
For goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who made a late stop to deny Celta’s Iago Aspas one-on-one, Madrid can have it both ways.
“We are going to keep fighting until the last game,” Courtois said according to AP.
“We have to try to win these next three games, and then after the Copa del Rey final we will see what the difference is. And, in any case, our task is to keep winning so we have good momentum going into the Champions League (semifinals).”
Coach Carlo Ancelotti left first-choice players Luka Modrid, Toni Kroos, Rodrygo, and Dani Carvajal, who all started in its 2-0 win at Chelsea last week, on his bench at the start of the match with Celta.
In their place, Aurelien Tchouameni and Dani Ceballos played in the midfield, while Nacho Fernandez was in defense and Marco Asensio in attack.
Ancelotti’s B team did just fine.
The vision of Ceballos combined with the speed of Vinicius was enough to break down Celta’s resistance.
Ceballos slotted a finely weighted through ball behind the defense to meet Vinícius’ run down the left flank, before he cut back and found Asensio arriving to score from his pass.
Militao put the result beyond doubt when he charged in and rose high above Celta´s defense to thump home Asensio’s corner kick.
Down by two goals, 12th-placed Celta finally started to click in attack. But Gabri Veiga, a 20-year-old midfielder linked to a move to Madrid, and Aspas failed to get off on-target shots after they were set up by left back Javi Galan.
And when Aspas did break past Fernandez and had time and space in his favour, Courtois closed him down and swatted the ball away.
The 35-year-old Aspas made his 450th career appearance for Celta.
LAST CHAMPIONS SPOT
Real Sociedad fought back to beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1 and strengthen its hold on fourth place and the last Champions League spot after Real Betis stumbled in a loss at Osasuna.
Fifth-placed Betis fell six points behind Sociedad after Ante Budimir led Osasuna to a 3-2 win over the Seville-based side as it builds momentum for the Copa del Rey final in two weeks.
OTHER RESULTS
Athletic Bilbao won at Almeria 2-1 and boosted the Basque club’s chances for fighting for a European competition berth. Valladolid’s 1-0 win over Girona lifted it seven points clear of the relegation zone.
