The Matchday 34 encounter in La Liga between Real Madrid and Celta will be held on May 4 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Real Madrid vs. Celta: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Real Madrid
The Madrid side approaches the upcoming match after a series of three consecutive victories in the league, all with a modest scoreline of 1-0. At home, the capital club overcame Athletic, while on the road, they defeated Alaves and Getafe. With five rounds remaining, Carlo Ancelotti's men occupy the second position in the standings, trailing leaders Barcelona by four points. It's worth noting that the team has already secured a spot in next season's Champions League.
- The club has won 6 of their last 7 La Liga matches.
- No more than three goals have been scored in 12 of Real Madrid's last 13 La Liga matches.
- Madrid has conceded in 6 of their last 8 home league games.
Predicted lineup for Real Madrid (4-4-2)
Thibaut Courtois – Lucas Vazquez, David Alaba, Raul Asensio, Fran Garcia – Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde, Brahim Diaz, Arda Guler – Endrick Felipe, Vinicius Junior.
Due to injuries, defenders David Alaba, Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy, and Dani Carvajal, along with midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, are out. Forward Rodrygo Goes will miss the game due to illness. Defender Antonio Rudiger is suspended for six matches and is also out for two months due to injury.
Celta
Claudio Giraldez's men broke a brief two-game losing streak, where they lost at home to Espanyol (0-2) and away to Barcelona (3-4). In the previous round, playing at home, the club surprisingly defeated Villarreal 3-0. Incidentally, the Galicians last achieved such a dominant league victory in April of last year. The team currently sits seventh, which would allow them to play in the Europa League next season.
- The club has not lost in 9 of their last 11 La Liga matches (6 wins and 3 draws).
- Both teams scored in 11 of Celta's last 15 league matches.
- The Galicians have not won the first half in their last 12 away La Liga games (8 draws and 4 losses).
Predicted lineup for Celta (4-4-2)
Vicente Guaita – Yoel Lago, Marcos Alonso, Carlos Dominguez, Oscar Mingueza – Damian Rodriguez, Fran Beltran, Hugo Alvarez, Fernando Gonzalez – Alfonso Gonzalez, Borja Iglesias.
Referee
Jesus Gil Manzano (Spain)
Matches – 16 (La Liga, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 95;
Average yellow cards per match – 5.9;
Red cards shown – 6;
Average fouls per match – 23;
Penalties – 31%.
Match Prediction: Real Madrid vs. Celta
The capital team cannot afford to drop points in the remaining matches of this season. It's the only way to catch Barcelona. However, the Catalans are not making mistakes, and Real Madrid has been more disappointing as the season nears its end. In their last 12 La Liga matches, Real has only beaten their opponents by more than one goal once. In fact, they defeated Girona by two goals, a team that is visibly struggling.
Meanwhile, the Galicians are in good form. The team has moved into the European competition zone, and it's crucial for them to collect valuable points to finish in the top seven. Notably, since December of last year, Celta has only lost once in La Liga by a margin of two or more goals. The visitors might benefit from the nervousness within the Madrid camp following their Copa del Rey final loss and the injuries affecting several Real players.
My prediction: Celta with a handicap (+1.5)
