Last season, Real Madrid didn’t have a home. Well, they did, but not really. They played their home games at Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium, a considerably much smaller venue. The Santiago Bernabeu was under reconstruction and that somehow affected their chances to win the La Liga title.
The wait is finally over, Los Blancos will be hosting Celta de Vigo at the renewed Santiago Bernabeu this weekend. The home side will defend first place, while the visitors will try to get out of the relegation zone.
Let’s check the latest news, stats, injury reports, and soccer betting odds for Real Madrid vs Celta de Vigo. We’ve plenty of predictions for you to consider!
Game: Real Madrid vs Celta de Vigo
Location: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Time: Sunday, Sept. 12, 3 p.m. ET
Television: beIN Sports
Live Stream: fuboTV
La Liga Betting Lines
| Team | Handicap | Moneyline | Over/Under | Team Total |
| Real Madrid | -1½ +105 | -260 | 3 -115o | 2½ +130o/-160u |
| Celta de Vigo | +1½ -125 | +725 | 3 -105u | ½ -155o/+125u |
| Draw | +435 |
Head to Head
- Previous Matches: 119
- Real Madrid Victories: 68 (252 goals)
- Celta de Vigo Victories: 32 (151 goals)
- Draws: 19
The last time they met in Madrid, the home side won 2-0, just like we predicted. Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio were the scorers. Last season, Real Madrid also defeated Celta de Vigo on the road 3-1. Karim Benzema was the Player of the Match after scoring twice.
Los Blancos haven’t lost in their last 10 meetings with Celta. They own an 8-2-0 record, 30 goals for and 10 against. They scored in every game and finished with a clean sheet three times. The total went over in eight of those games.
Celta beat Real Madrid for the last time in the 2016-17 season. They did it in the Quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey.
Why bet on Real Madrid?
Returning home after a very long time should be enough for you to include Real Madrid in your soccer picks. Their motivation will be up to the roof and beyond. That’s not all, they’ll also be defending the league’s top spot.
They share first place with five other teams who also have a 2-1-0 record. However, none has scored more goals than them, they’ve eight goals for and four against. Most recently, they beat Real Betis 1-0 on the road thanks to a goal from Dani Carvajal.
This will also be the first game for Eduardo Camavinga. He recently signed with the team after playing four seasons in Ligue 1 with Rennes.
Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world. We all dream of Real Madrid from when we’re kids. I’ll bring all my character, fight on the pitch, technique, and joyful approach to life,” said Camavinga during his presentation.
If the rest of the roster thinks the same, Madrid shouldn’t have too much trouble winning this game.
They also started the season 2-1 against the spread and over/under. They scored three or more goals in two of their first three games. Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Vinicius Junior have responded as expected. The Brazilian leads the team in scoring with three goals.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti is not playing favorites, which means internal competition is ferocious.
Toni Kroos and Dani Ceballos remain out due to injury. The rest of the team is ready to go, even the ones who played during the international break. Their expected lineup is Thibaut Courtois; Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Miguel Gutierrez; Federico Valverde, Casemiro, Isco; Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Eden Hazard.
Why Bet on Celta de Vigo?
Basically, Celta de Vigo must start winning now, otherwise they could get in a lot of trouble. They’re in eighteenth place with one point, one goal for and three against. They lost two home games (Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao) but managed to get a draw on the road (Osasuna).
During the offseason, they signed Franco Cervi from Benfica and Javi Galan from S.D. Huesca. Galan already won a spot in the starting lineup, but Cervi needs more time to fully adapt.
Manager Eduardo Coudet assembled a well-balanced team between experienced and young players. Iago Aspas, 34, remains the star of the club. Nevertheless, Brais Mendez and Santi Mina, who’ve played very well, have 24 and 25.
They also started the season 0-2-1 against the spread and 1-2 over/under. Yes, they haven’t won, but they’ve put up a fight in each game. The reigning champions Atletico Madrid suffered a lot to beat them by one goal.
I expect them to heavily play on the counterattack. At the end of the day, the pressure will be on Madrid’s shoulders, so they can play without complexes.
Defender Jose Fontan is out due to injury. Their expected lineup is Matias Dituro; Hugo Mallo, Joseph Aidoo, Nestor Araujo, Javi Galan; Renato Tapia, Denis Suárez, Brais Méndez; Nolito, Santi Mina, Iago Aspas.
Final Analysis and Predictions
This game is going to be a party, at least for Real Madrid. They simply cannot lose in their first game at Santiago Bernabeu. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy though; Celta de Vigo has plenty of experienced players who know how to play these games. Both will score and the total will go over.
Don’t forget to check the props our sportsbook is offering for this and other games to increase your winning chances. Our score prediction is offering a +950 price, while Real Madrid by 2 is +320
Score Prediction: Real Madrid 3 – Celta de Vigo 1
