Real Madrid defeated Rafael Benitez's Celta Vigo to regain a seven-point lead and move one step closer to reclaiming Spain's La Liga title.
Madrid, without the suspended Jude Bellingham, took the lead with Vinicius Junior firing home from close range after his first shot was blocked by Celta keeper Vicente Guaita.
It was the lowest result for Carlo Ancelotti's side after an underwhelming first half.
After the break, the hosts' response became even more sloppy, much to the frustration of the Bernabéu fans, but Celta were unable to take advantage.
Madrid finished the game with three goals in the final 11 minutes, although they missed chances from Rodrigo and Brahim Díaz.
The first goal late in the game came from another set-piece when the unmarked Antonio Rudiger hit the bar with a header and the ball rebounded back to former Crystal Palace keeper Guaita.
This ended Celta's resistance, and soon after another defensive confusion led to the third goal.
Vinicius' cross from the left caused chaos between Guaita and Carlos Dominguez, and the defender's attempted clearance was unfortunately deflected into his own goal.
Turkish teenager Arda Güler then scored his first goal for Madrid, scoring from a narrow angle after coming on as a substitute.
With wins for nearest challengers Girona and Barcelona earlier this weekend, Madrid could not afford to give their rivals any hope by losing against relegation-threatened Celta.
It seemed unlikely that they would drop a point, but any tension that remained until the final 30 minutes disappeared with three late goals.
The anger of the demanding Bernabeu crowd appears to have stemmed from the team's failure to defeat the visitors as much as they had hoped in their second home game in five days.
Los Blancos defeated RB Leipzig on Wednesday and were far from their best. Advance to the Champions League quarterfinals.
lineup
real madrid
formation 4-3-1-2
- 13Lunin
- 17Vasquez
- twenty twoRudiger
- 6nacho
- twenty threeMendy
- 15Valverde
- TenmodricReplacementClausin 83 minutesminutes
- twenty oneDiazReplacementChoameniin 83 minutesminutes
- 12CamavingaI made a reservation in 45 minutes.ReplacementCeballosin 88 minutesminutes
- 11rodrigoReplacementJoselin 74 minutesminutes
- 7Vinicius Jr.Booked in 55 minutesReplacementGyularin 89 minutesminutes
substitute
- 2carvajal
- 8Claus
- 14Josel
- 18Choameni
- 19Ceballos
- 20garcia
- twenty fourGyular
- twenty fiveArrizabalaga Revuelta
- 26Pinheiro
Celta Vigo
formation 5-3-2
- twenty fiveGuaita
- 3MinguezaBooked in 55 minutesReplacementsoteloin 77 minutesminutes
- twenty twoManquilloBooked in 82 minutes
- 2star felt
- FourNuñez
- twenty threeSanchezReplacementCerviin 60 minutesminutes
- 14De la TorreI made a reservation in 25 minutes.
- 8bertrandReplacementDominguezin 77 minutesminutes
- 17BanbaReplacementAllendein 60 minutesminutes
- TenIago Aspas
- 18Strand LarsenReplacementDuvikasin 83 minutesminutes
substitute
- 7Perez
- 9Allende
- 11Cervi
- 12Duvikas
- 13Villars
- 16Marquez Siqueira
- 20Vasquez
- twenty fourRodriguez
- 26Carrillo
- 28Dominguez
- 30sotelo
- 32Rodriguez
- Referee:
- mario melero lopez
- Attendance:
- 73,644
live text
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Game over, Real Madrid 4, Celta Vigo 0.
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End of the second half, Real Madrid 4, Celta Vigo 0.
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goal! Real Madrid 4, Celta Vigo 0. Arda Güler (Real Madrid) fired a right-footed shot from the right side of her six-yard box into the bottom right corner. Assisted with a through pass from Dani Ceballos.
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Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul on Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo).
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Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defense.
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Foul by Hugo Sotelo (Celta Vigo).
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Attempt blocked. Tasos Duvikas (Celta Vigo)'s right-footed shot from the center of the box was blocked. Assisted by Iago Aspas.
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Substitution, Real Madrid. Alda Güler replaces Vinicius Junior.
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Substitution, Real Madrid. Dani Ceballos replaces Eduardo Camavinga.
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Carlos Dominguez's own goal for Celta Vigo. Real Madrid 3, Celta Vigo 0.
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Attempt failed. Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid) took a right-footed shot from the center of the box, but it missed the right side of the frame. Federico Valverde assists from the corner kick.
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Corner, Real Madrid. Vicente Guaita concedes a goal.
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Attempt saved. Josel (Real Madrid) took a right-footed shot from a difficult angle on the right side, but it was saved in the center of the goal. Assisted with a through pass from Lucas Vazquez.
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Attempt blocked. Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo)'s left-footed shot from outside the box was blocked. Assisted by Luca de la Torre.
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Substitution, Real Madrid. Toni Kroos replaces Luka Modric.
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Substitution, Celta Vigo. Tasos Dvikas replaces Jorgen Strand Larsen.
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Substitution, Real Madrid. Aurélien Choameni replaces Brahim Dias.
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Javier Manquillo (Celta Vigo) was shown a yellow card for a serious foul.
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Luka Modric (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left.