Dominant Real Madrid thrash Celta Vigo to cement top spot

1:02

Vinicius Jr. taps in to make it 1-0 Real Madrid

Vinicius Jr. needs two attempts before prodding home to give Real Madrid the lead over Celta Vigo.

Updated: Mar 10, 2024, 08:55 pm

LaLiga leaders Real Madrid cruised to a 4-0 home win over relegation-threatened Celta Vigo on Sunday to restore their seven-point lead at the top of the table with a dominant display.

Goals from Vinicius Junior and Arda Güler, the 19-year-old's first for the club, as well own goals from Celta's Carlos Dominguez and keeper Vicente Guaita sealed the victory for Madrid.

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Real were on top in the first half but were thwarted by some fine saves from Guaita, although he failed to stop the opener when Vinicius fired home from close range in the 21st minute, for his 10th goal of the season.

"I'm very happy, I'm trying to be at my best, it's a good time of the season with good games and I want to continue like this, hopefully without injuries," Vinicius said.

"Injuries have cost me a bit this season. I'm trying to help in the best way, changing my game, to be unstoppable, as a winger, as a striker, that way the opponents don't know how to defend me."

Madrid doubled their lead in the 79th when Antonio Rüdiger's thunderous header from a Luka Modric corner hit the bar and found the net after going in off Guaita's back.

A Vinicius cross was turned into his own net by defender Dominguez in the 88th minute and late substitute Guler added a fourth in stoppage time.

"Arda [Guler] has a future here. He played just three minutes but I was convinced that he could do something because of his great talent," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti told reporters.

The LaLiga leaders are on 69 points, seven ahead of second-placed Girona, who beat Osasuna 2-0 on Saturday.

Rafa Benitez's Celta are 17th in the standings with 24 points, just one place above the relegation zone.

"We are still in a position out of relegation," former Madrid manager Benitez said. "We are upset about the defeat but we are trying to recover already thinking about the other matches."