Real Madrid stumbled to three thoroughly undeserved points on Sunday as Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe's individual quality bailed them out in a 3-2 home win over Celta Vigo.
Guler seemed, for long stretches, the only player who could make things happen while his Madrid team-mated strolled around in his orbit. Earlier this week, Carlo Ancelotti tipped the winger for a more central role going forward - and it was easy to see why here as Guler danced around, finding all of the right angles and pockets of space. His wonderful left foot delivered the opener, too, as he provided na curled effort into the top corner after 33 minutes following a painfully languid opening half an hour for Madrid.
A moment of magic from Mbappe made it 2-0, as Frenchman dashed through on goal before battering the ball into the top corner. He added a second shortly after half-time, too, when he slotted past a stranded goalkeeper after Guler's angled through ball.
Poor defending saw Madrid lose control of the game in the final 20 minutes, however, as Lucas Vazquez's sloppy clearance off the line handed Javi Rodriguez a tap-in before Celta grabbed another when Iago Aspas found Williot Swedberg, who finished calmly.
A Celta equaliser seemed inevitable as Aspas orchestrated in the final third, but it never quite came off for the visitors, and Madrid secured a victory that they didn't really deserve and that keeps them four points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona ahead of next week's crucial Clasico.
GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Santiago Bernabeu...
