Real Madrid and Celta Vigo: A Rivalry Fueled by High Stakes and Heavy Scores
If you’re mapping out the modern La Liga landscape, Real Madrid and Celta Vigo probably don’t jump off the page as bitter rivals. But glance at their recent history: things get heated fast. When these two meet, goals aren’t in short supply and the pressure is always sky-high. With the 2024-25 season barreling toward a dramatic finish, their May 4 clash is more than just a footnote. Real Madrid, still stinging from a 3-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final, are second in the table—four points off arch-rivals Barça, five games to go. Meanwhile, Celta Vigo have punched above their weight, sitting seventh and sniffing European football next year.
The recent head-to-heads paint a clear picture: Madrid have made Celta’s trips to the capital a nightmare. Los Blancos boast a nine-game La Liga win streak against Os Celestes, a streak stretching back to Celta’s last shock league win in the 2013/14 season. Couple that dominance with both teams’ current ambitions, and the tension around the latest fixture is easy to feel.
Five Classic Madrid vs Celta Battles Everyone Remembers
Let’s look at five matches that remind us why this is never just another game on the schedule—each one packed with drama, goals, and a reminder of Madrid’s firepower.
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2017-18 La Liga: Real Madrid 6-0 Celta Vigo
Madrid barely gave Celta a look at the ball that day. Gareth Bale ran riot at the Bernabéu, scoring twice in the opening half hour. Isco, lurking just behind the strikers, poked home a third, before young Achraf Hakimi and Toni Kroos stamped their names onto the scoresheet. To make it worse for Celta, defender Sergi Gómez tacked on an own goal. By the end, Madrid’s fans barely knew which goal to cheer—Bale was already looking like the world-class star they’d hoped for, and Celta looked totally out of answers. -
September 12, 2021: Real Madrid 5-2 Celta Vigo
The start of Madrid’s post-pandemic resurgence saw Karim Benzema in top gear, netting a hat-trick and orchestrating attack after attack. Celta kept things interesting for the first half, but Benzema simply took over. Vinícius Jr. and new signing Eduardo Camavinga joined the party, racking up five goals against a Celta side determined to play expansive football—only to be punished for every slip at the back. -
2016-17 La Liga: Real Madrid 4-1 Celta Vigo
Chasing the title, Madrid used this fixture to flex their muscles. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring, as he so often did, and set the tempo for a game Madrid absolutely had to win. Celta left gaps pushing forward, which Madrid’s counterattack exploited again and again. -
2019-20 La Liga: Real Madrid 2-2 Celta Vigo
Madrid fans won’t forget this nail-biter. Despite controlling most of the action, Zidane’s men slipped up late—exposing that even in dominant head-to-heads, Celta are always capable of throwing a wrench in Madrid’s plans. The points dropped here made the title chase even tighter down the stretch. -
2013-14 La Liga: Celta Vigo 2-0 Real Madrid
The last time Celta beat Madrid in the league, Madrid’s attack sputtered and Celta pounced. Charles Dias scored both goals, sending shockwaves through the Bernabéu faithful and derailing a late title push. That result taught Real a lesson: take this team lightly, and you'll pay for it.
As Real Madrid and Celta Vigo gear up for their next battle, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Every match between these two has the power to bend the La Liga title race or shift the European places picture. Madrid’s track record says they're favorites—but if history is anything to go by, Celta Vigo are always ready to spoil the party when it matters most.