Real Madrid dig deep to send Celta Vigo to the Copa del Rey quarters

Real Madrid dig deep to send Celta Vigo to the Copa del Rey quarters

Real Madrid dig deep to send Celta Vigo to the Copa del Rey quarters

Real Madrid humiliatingly erased their Clásico from their minds by reaching the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey with a 5-2 victory over Celta Vigo in extra time.

Goal scorers: Mbappé 37′, Junior 48′, Endrick 108′, 119′, Valverde 112′; Bamba 83′, Alonso 90+1′ (P)

A new line-up after the loss against Barcelona went on the field for Carlo Ancelotti, but at the end of the day the same big names provided the opening goals.

After playing for over half an hour, Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring when he grabbed the ball in his own half, ran down the left wing and finished into the far side of the net.

Celta Vigo would feel hard done by, but as they had a clear penalty claim a few minutes before the goal. Andriy Lunin drove off his line and took out Williot Swedber, but nothing was given.

Immediately after the break, Madrid doubled their lead. Mbappé scooped a ball towards Brahim Diaz and the Spaniard found a racing Vinicius Junior who split two visiting defenders to make it 2-0.

With just two shots on target, it looked like the hosts would cruise through to the next round. Chances from Fran Beltrán and Hugo Sotelo required Lunin to be quick on his feet, but Madrid were still in control.

But as they say, a 2-0 lead is always the shakiest thing in football.

Jonathan Bamba, who has been linked with an exit from Celta Vigo, entered the game and made an immediate impression. A mistake by Eduardo Camavinga gave the visitors the ball in the box and the unmarked substitute converted 2-1.

Another mistake then turned the tide of the game minutes later when Raúl Asencio fouled Bamba in the box, who won a penalty. Marcos Alonso stepped up and calmly converted to push the game into extra time.

Celta Vigo had another penalty fall on deaf ears in the extra 30 minutes when Antonio Rudiger appeared to commit a handball. Madrid, scraping by, then managed to score the winner.

Substitute Arda Guler and Endrick combined outside the box and the Brazilian’s powerful strike found the far left corner before he removed his shirt in celebration.

A late strike from Federico Valverde from midfield then ensured Los Blancos avoided an embarrassing exit as he added Madrid’s fourth of the night.

Then it became something of a goal competition for the hosts.

Endrick capped the night with a sublime backheel finish and Celta Vigo were forced to wonder what might have been had they held on.


JAVIER SORIANO – AFP or licensors