Everything was set for an exciting campaign leading up to Celta’s centenary anniversary after hiring the renowned coach Rafa Benitez in the summer, who was expected to help them regain their position in the upper half of La Liga. The sale of the 21-year-old midfielder Gabri Veiga, who directly contributed to 15 out of 43 goals in the previous La Liga season, for a fee close to 35 million euros, potentially gives Benitez a healthy budget to improve his team. In the absence of Veiga, Celta managed to avenge their unexpected defeat to Osasuna by taking a point from Real Sociedad at home. Benitez considered this result “fair,” as both teams controlled half of the field each. However, Vigo ended the previous season with a victory over Barcelona (2-1), and the new coach has a talent for causing problems for his former employer from Madrid. Today, Pasiecnia and Perez will be unavailable due to a muscle injury.
Benitez and Real Madrid’s coach Carlo Ancelotti, who secured victories in the Champions League finals in the 2000s while leading Liverpool and Milan, will meet for the first time in 13 years. His team will play their first three La Liga matches away, waiting for the renovated Santiago Bernabeu to be ready in September. Madrid topped the league table after two rounds, securing a couple of wins with several goals against Athletic (2-0) and Almeria (3-1). The most pleasant aspect of Ancelotti’s two La Liga wins is the absence of goals conceded, especially after the club suffered morale damage during preseason losses abroad to Barcelona (0-3) and Juventus (1-3). Thus, everything seems geared towards replicating the emphatic away victory against Celta last season (4-1), which was one of their 16 wins in the last 18 matches against the Galician club. Carvajal, Militao, Mendy, Guler, and Courtois, with a knee injury, will be unable to take the football field today. More successful soccer predictions can be obtained from the link provided.
