Last-Gasp Valverde Goal Hands Real Madrid Crucial Win—-Uruguayan scores in stoppage time as Madrid edge 2–1 victory to move within a point of LaLiga leaders Barcelona.
Celta arrived in excellent form with four consecutive wins in all competitions and looked determined to extend that run early on. Just five minutes in, Borja Iglesias fired a low effort from 20 yards that forced Thibaut Courtois into a sharp save.
However, Real Madrid quickly found their rhythm. Vinicius Junior came close when he broke through and hit the post, and moments later Los Blancos made their pressure count. After Aurelien Tchouameni saw a shot deflected out for a corner, Madrid cleverly worked the set-piece back to the French midfielder, who swept home his first league goal of the season in the 11th minute.
Real had won all 18 LaLiga matches in which they had opened the scoring this season, but Iglesias looked determined to end that record. He first raced onto a through ball only to be denied by Courtois once again.
The striker eventually found his reward in the 25th minute. Williot Swedberg shrugged off Trent Alexander-Arnold on the left flank before squaring the ball for Iglesias to calmly slot home the equaliser.
Chances became scarce as the first half progressed, though Swedberg tested Courtois again just before the break with a powerful side-footed strike that the Belgian goalkeeper did well to keep out.
The second half struggled to produce clear opportunities, with Ferran Jutgla’s near-post effort from a corner in the 60th minute comfortably gathered by Courtois.
Real Madrid began to show more attacking intent as the game wore on. Youngsters Thiago Pitarch and Cesar Palacios both saw their efforts blocked by Carl Starfelt, while Madrid were also left frustrated when a potential handball by Jutgla in the box was overturned after a lengthy VAR check.
Despite dominating possession late on, Los Blancos nearly paid the price for their lack of cutting edge. With three minutes remaining, Iago Aspas struck the post from inside the area, coming agonisingly close to putting Celta ahead.
But just when the hosts looked set to extend their unbeaten run to six matches, disaster struck. A poor clearance fell kindly to Valverde on the edge of the box, and the Uruguayan unleashed a 25-yard strike that took a huge deflection on its way past Ionut Radu to seal victory in the 94th minute.
The dramatic win keeps Real Madrid unbeaten in Vigo since 2014 and firmly in the LaLiga title race.
