Madrid: Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Varane, Pepe,
Essien; Modric, Xabi Alonso; Özil (Callejón 71'), Kaká (Di
María 46'), Cristiano Ronaldo; Higuaín (Benzema 84'). 4-2-3-1.
Celta: Sergio Alvarez; Hugo Mallo, Cabral,
Túñez, Roberto Lago; Oubiña, Bustos (Mario Bermejo 52'),
Álex López; Augusto Fernández (De Lucas 77'), Iago Aspas
(Park Chu Young 58'), Krohn-Dehli. 4-3-3.
Goals:
1-0. 12. Higuaín. Cut in from left and looped
shot over keeper from wide out.
2-0. 67. Ronaldo (penalty). After Cabral
pushed over Özil inside penalty area.
Yellow cards: Xabi Alonso 54', Cabral 67', Casillas 69', Sergio Ramos 76', Roberto Lago 78'.
Real Madrid beat Celta 2-0 on Saturday evening to stay eight points behind eternal rivals Barcelona. With three of his full backs injured, Mourinho had to put out a makeshift defence, with Ramos and Essien playing on the flanks. Ramos came forward early on to head a corner just wide of the post, but soon afterwards Higuaín opened the scoring with a shot from wide out on the right which curled over the head of Sergio Alvarez in to the far corner of the net. Ramos went close again, and either side of half time Cristiano Ronaldo headed wide a couple of times and fired a shot on to the crossbar. Midway through the second half though Ronaldo finally got his name on the scoresheet when he converted a penalty after Cabral brought down Özil in the area, and soon afterwards substitute Callejón just missed the target when through on goal. Celta finally woke up though, and Casillas had to be at his best to keep out a shot from De Lucas and a header from Park Chu Young near the end.