Real Madrid left it late to secure a dramatic 2-1 win over Celta Vigo in La Liga, with captain Federico Valverde scoring a deflected winner deep into stoppage time to rescue three points.
Madrid had taken an early lead at Balaidos after 11 minutes through Aurelien Tchouameni. A short corner routine involving Trent Alexander-Arnold and Arda Guler worked the ball into space just inside the penalty area, where Tchouameni produced a controlled finish into the far corner.
Despite going behind, Celta responded strongly and created several promising openings. Borja Iglesias was particularly lively in the early stages and forced a sharp save from Thibaut Courtois after breaking into the area.
Celta found their equaliser in the 25th minute after capitalising on defensive uncertainty down Madrid’s right side.
Williot Swedberg managed to recover possession after Alexander-Arnold misjudged a ball in behind, before cutting it back into the middle for Iglesias, who finished calmly from close range.
The hosts continued to threaten and came close to taking the lead before half-time. Iglesias again tested Courtois with a clipped effort through on goal, while Swedberg later forced another save with a first-time strike inside the penalty area.
After the restart, Madrid enjoyed far more possession but struggled to break down a compact Celta defence. Long spells of control produced limited chances as the home side held their shape and looked to counter.
Vinicius Junior tried his luck from distance, but his effort was comfortably gathered by Celta goalkeeper Andrei Radu.
The visitors thought they might have been awarded a penalty midway through the second half when the ball struck the arm of Ferrán Jutgla inside the box.
However, referee Isidro Diaz de Mera ruled that Tchouameni had committed a foul in the build-up, and after a VAR check the decision stood.
Madrid continued to push forward as the match entered its closing stages, though clear chances remained scarce.
Substitute Cesar Palacios saw an effort blocked after a neat move on the edge of the area, while a corner resulted in a wild strike over the bar from Antonio Rudiger.
Celta nearly snatched a late winner themselves when substitute Iago Aspas found space inside the penalty area during a counterattack. His low shot beat Courtois but struck the post, allowing Madrid to survive what would have been a major setback in the title race.
Instead, the decisive moment arrived in the 94th minute. Alexander-Arnold’s attempted cross from the right was partially cleared, with the loose ball falling to Valverde on the edge of the area.
The midfielder struck it first time and his effort took a deflection off Marcos Alonso before flying into the top corner.
