Real Madrid 3 - Celta Vigo 0

Real Madrid: Casillas; Geremi, Hierro (Flavio Conceiçao 63'), Karanka, Roberto Carlos (Solari 77'); Figo, Iván Helguera, Makelele, McManaman; Raúl, Morientes (Savio 70'). 4-4-2.
Celta: Pinto; Velasco, Cáceres, Djorovic, Juanfran (Yago 46'); Giovanella, Doriva; Jesuli (Vagner 55'), Karpin, Gustavo López; Catanha (McCarthy 73'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Madrid: Karanka, Morientes for Iván Campo, Guti / Celta: Velasco, Djorovic, Jesuli for Coira, Yago, Mostovoi.

Goals:
1-0. 11. Iván Helguera. Touched Roberto Carlos low cross past keeper.
2-0. 33. Figo. Lifted ball twice past defenders and slid past keeper into net.
3-0. 60. Roberto Carlos. Bent long free kick away from Pinto.

An easy victory for Real Madrid against a disappointing Celta side who are dropping steadily down the table after their sixth away defeat in a row. Fresh from their victory over Anderlecht, and with Salgado, Guti and Munitis still injured, Del Bosque put out the same eleven, with Morientes alongside Raúl in attack. Víctor Fernández finally had his first choice back four together again, although their lack of match fitness clearly showed against an on-form Madrid side. With Mostovoi out again, Víctor also gave a rare start to Jesuli, the youngster hardly having featured since his summer signing from Sevilla. McCarthy, who will miss the next two games through international duty, was left on the bench.

Last season Celta beat Madrid in the Bernabeu stadium for the first time in 50 years. However there was not much chance of that being repeated this time, as the home side took the lead with a stroke of fortune early on, Iván Helguera deflecting the ball off his heel past Pinto after Roberto Carlos put in a hard low cross. Television cameras later showed that Helguera was standing in an offside position when he scored. There was no luck involved in Madrid's second goal though, Luis Figo showing why he is the European footballer of the year this year with a piece of skill which had the crowd on their feet. Figo left Juanfran and then Djorovic for dead with two delightful little chips, then ran on to take the ball round the keeper to score. In fact Figo was such a nightmare for his marker Juanfran that Víctor decided to change him at half time, bringing on Yago in his place.

Celta were not playing badly though, and Djorovic had gone close to scoring with a free kick against the post before Karpin, Catanha and then Gustavo López had brought good saves out of Casillas. Catanha shot into the side netting early in the second half, but then paid the price for their wasted chances when Roberto Carlos bent a wicked free kick past Pinto to extend Madrid's lead. After that Del Bosque rested some of his first choice players, giving a run out to Flavio, Savio and Solari (sounds like a stage act). His team go from strength to strength, and with this their fourth league win in a row, they are now within two points of the leaders with a game in hand. Celta have not won in over a month, and they drop to thirteenth, having only taken one point from the feared 'trident' in their last three games. Their programme gets a bit easy now in theory, but they have to try and get back to their early season form if they are to avoid difficulties this season.