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It is not often that we see Carlo Ancelotti quite as animated as he was after the final whistle on Sunday afternoon, as his Real Madrid side dropped points for just the second time this season in LaLiga, following a dramatic 1-1 draw with Girona.
Vinicius Junior had given the defending champions the lead on 70 minutes after he bundled home a Federico Valverde cross, before a controversially-awarded penalty allowed Cristhian Stuani to draw the newly-promoted side level just 10 minutes later.
Los Blancos then had a goal disallowed in the dying moments, as Rodrygo was adjudged to have kicked the ball from Paulo Gazzaniga‘s hands, before Toni Kroos received the first red card of his career to cap off a frustrating night for the league leaders.
The result now leaves Real Madrid one point ahead of Barcelona at the top of the standings, just five days after their 20-game unbeaten streak across all competitions came tumbling in Leipzig.
With top spot still to guarantee in the group, and with incentive to bounce back from a mini-slump, expect to see a professional performance from the hosts, as they welcome the 52-time Scottish champions to the Spanish capital.
Portuguese winger Jota also marked his return from injury with a strike of his own, to record his 11th goal contribution in 13 appearances across all competitions this season.
There might be little to play for, but a trip to Madrid remains quite the occasion for Celtic, who will be relishing the opportunity to go toe-to-toe with European royalty at one of the most iconic stadiums in world football.
While a result is unlikely, given Los Blancos’ three-goal triumph at Celtic Park last month, Postecoglu’s men will be up for the fight, and will look to take Real Madrid all the way in their first visit to the Santiago Bernabeu for more than 40 years
Real Madrid will be without Ballon D’or winner Karim Benzema for this one, as the Frenchman continues to recover from muscular fatigue after three games out of the side.
Having played nine games during the month of October, and with a tricky trip to Rayo Vallecano to come on the weekend, expect to see a few rotations to Carlo Ancelotti’s extremely competitive XI.
Marco Asensio and Eden Hazard may come into the squad, while Aurelien Tchouameni should return to the midfield after he was given time off against Girona.
For the visitors, Callum McGregor will continue his spell on the sidelines after he sustained a knee injury against Leipzig, while Jota could have another part to play off the bench after his successful return to action on the weekend.
In addition, Swedish centre-back Carl Starfelt failed to make the squad against Livingston but could make the bench here, after he picked up a knee injury back in September.
Otherwise, Celtic have a largely healthy squad ahead of a historic trip to the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Mendy, Militao, Nacho, Vazquez; Kroos, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Hazard, Rodrygo, Asensio
Celtic possible starting lineup:
Hart; Taylor, Jenz, Carter-Vickers, Ralston; Hatate, O’Riley, Mooy; Abada, Furuhashi, Forrest
When you walk in the room with their 14 replica Champions League trophies then you get Valdano’s drift. This is a place of magic right enough.
It’s also a place where brutal reality exists. What Puskas was getting at is as true now as it was when he said it all those years ago. The Madrid fans don’t spare their players no matter how many trophies they may have brought to the club.
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Gareth Bale, deserving of the status of a Madrid great, was chased out of town. There was no love lost when many others involved in their astonishing five Champions Leagues since 2013-14 exited. Time moves on and so do the Madridismo. Quickly.
This is a club that lives for the European Cup. Winning it is sometimes not even enough. It’s how they win it. It’s the drama. The theatre.
Of their 14 triumphs the most recent one was Madrid to the core. A home loss to FC Sheriff in the group stage sparked an inquisition. The idea that this team were going to go on and win the thing was fanciful this time last year.
In their knockout game with Paris St-Germain they trailed 2-0 on aggregate with half an hour left. Karim Benzema scored a hat-trick to put them through.
Against Chelsea they were 4-3 down on aggregate with 10 minutes remaining. Benzema levelled and Rodrygo won it in extra time.
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The Manchester City games were the piece de resistance. Trailing 5-3 with 17 minutes left, Madrid prevailed. Rodrygo scored two in a minute and Benzema secured victory five minutes later. Astonishing. The 1-0 win over Liverpool in the final was humdrum by comparison.
Masterful Modric ties it all together
On Wednesday they play Celtic on the back of losing to Leipzig last week and drawing with Girona on Sunday. The Celtic game has been described as must-win by the Madrid media. In the real world, it’s not. In the Real world, it is.
Reading the comments of players and management you get a sense that the club is about to shift gears now that the knockouts are approaching, just as they did last season.
The other day, the great Andres Iniesta spoke about Carlo Ancelotti’s team and 37-year-old Luka Modric in particular. “Modric is among the best there has been and ever will be,” he said of the Croat.
In a side where the age profile is getting younger, Modric is a mainstay, the one who continues to tie it all together.
This is what’s irresistible about this Madrid team, the combination of experience (Modric, Toni Kroos and Benzema) and a thrusting youth. Currently Real are being linked with Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, 19, and precocious Palmeiras winger Endrick, 16. This is the direction of travel at the Bernabeu.