Preview: Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo - prediction, team news, lineups

Real Madrid will aim to make it successive wins in Spain's top flight when they continue their campaign with a home fixture against Celta Vigo on Sunday evening.

Los Blancos are second in the La Liga table, one point behind second-placed Barcelona, while Celta occupy 12th, picking up 16 points from their first 14 games of the campaign.

Match preview

Real Madrid drew three straight league games against Rayo Vallecano, Elche and Girona between November 9 and November 30, but they returned to winning ways in style on Wednesday night, beating Athletic Bilbao 3-0 at San Mames.

Los Blancos' recent blip has seen them give up first spot in the table to Barcelona, but they are only one point off the summit and will be eyeing another three points on Sunday night.

Xabi Alonso's side have been impressive on home soil this season, winning all six of their league matches, scoring 14 times in the process, but Celta have been one of the strongest away teams in the division this term, picking up 11 points from six matches.

Real Madrid are on a 11-game winning run against Celta in all competitions, including a 3-2 victory when the pair locked horns in the corresponding game last term.

Anything less than three points would be another setback for Los Blancos, who will continue their Champions League campaign next week with a huge game at home to Manchester City.

Celta, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a penalty-shootout success over Sant Andreu in the Copa del Rey, which secured their spot in the third round of the tournament.

The Sky Blues suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Espanyol in La Liga last time out, though, and they have only managed to win three of their 14 matches in Spain's top flight this term.

A record of three wins, seven draws and four defeats has brought Celta 16 points, which is only enough for 12th spot, with too many draws costing them a spot higher up the division heading towards the end of the year.

Claudio Giraldez's side are also involved in the Europa League this season, and they have picked up nine points from their five matches, which has left them in 10th spot in the overall table.

Celta's last league victory away to Real Madrid came in November 2006, which is an indication of the size of their task against the capital giants on Sunday night.

Real Madrid La Liga form:

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Real Madrid form (all competitions):

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Celta Vigo La Liga form:

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Celta Vigo form (all competitions):

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Team News

Real Madrid will definitely be without the services of Dani Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ferland Mendy due to injury problems, while Dean Huijsen, David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga are doubts, so six could be missing for the hosts here.

Raul Asencio could potentially feature at right-back for Los Blancos due to the absences of Carvajal and Alexander-Arnold, while it is likely that Arda Guler will also be brought back into the midfield after dropping to the bench against Athletic.

Kylian Mbappe is having a glorious campaign, scoring 25 times in all competitions, and the Frenchman is again set to be joined in the final third of the field by Vinicius Junior.

As for Celta, Joseph Aidoo and Mihailo Ristic are injury doubts, but the visitors are otherwise in strong shape ahead of their clash with the capital giants.

Head coach Giraldez will make wholesale changes to the side that took to the field in the Copa del Rey last time out, with the big-hitters returning, including Borja Iglesias, who has scored eight times in all competitions this season.

There could also be a spot in the final third of the field for the experienced Iago Aspas, while Bryan Zaragoza will be another attacking threat for the Vigo team.

Real Madrid possible starting lineup:

Courtois; Asencio, Militao, Rudiger, Carreras; Guler, Valverde, Tchouameni; Bellingham; Vinicius, Mbappe

Celta Vigo possible starting lineup:

Radu; Alonso, Starfelt, J Rodriguez; Rueda, D Rodriguez, Moriba, Carreira; Zaragoza, Iglesias, Aspas

We say: Real Madrid 3-1 Celta Vigo

Celta are more than capable of making this a tricky match for Real Madrid, and we are backing the visitors to find the back of the net on Sunday. However, Los Blancos have so much quality going forward, and we are expecting the hosts to secure all three points this weekend.

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