Real Madrid earn victory and stay in the race for the title

Real Madrid saw off RC Celta 2-4 on matchday 33 of the Liga BBVA in a frenetic clash that saw both sides go after the three points. The win sees Carlo Ancelotti’s second-placed outfit stay in the fight for the league title with 79 points, while Eduardo Berizzo’s men remain 9th with 42 points. 

The first goal of the match was not long in coming. Celta launched an excellent counter-attack down the left wing with 10 minutes on the clock, and Nolito rounded off a great piece of individual play with a low drive. However, Madrid did not take long to equalise, combining on the right to set Cristiano Ronaldo running into the area, and when his pass was cleared as far as Toni Kroos the German snapped up the loose ball to bring his side level with a placed effort from inside the box. There was to be no let-up to the game’s furious pace, and on 25 minutes Real Madrid made it 1-2 when a one-two between Javier Hernández 'Chicharito' and James Rodríguez finished up with the Mexican sneaking his shot in at Sergio Álvarez’s near post. Three minutes later, Javier Orellana threaded a fantastic through-ball for Santi Mina to run through on Iker Casillas and leave the scores all square once more, latching on to the rebound after his initial strike had hit the post. And, right before the break, there was still time for another. A quick transition from the visitors culminated in a shot from James that took a deflection off a defender and found the net for the encounter’s fifth goal.

The match continued to be played at a high tempo following the restart, but with Real Madrid sitting deeper and looking to hit Celta on the counter, while the hosts took possession of the ball and sought to apply a more patient build-up to their attacks. And it was los madridistas who got their fourth of the night after 70 minutes, when Sergio Ramos found 'Chicharito' with a long pass that the striker controlled superbly and finished well past Álvarez. The goal proved a hammer blow for the home team as Real Madrid came away with a victory that keeps them in the hunt at the top with FC Barcelona.