Celta Vigo 1-3 Real Madrid: Karim Benzema nets first-half double in win

Karim Benzema scored for a sixth consecutive game as his double helped Real Madrid to a 3-1 win over Celta Vigo in La Liga.

The France striker's goals were both assisted by Germany midfielder Toni Kroos as Madrid moved above rivals Barcelona into second in the table.

Celta pulled one back on 40 minutes through Santi Mina's powerful header.

After a lethargic second half from Real, Benzema turned provider as Marco Asensio added a third in stoppage time.

Benzema's double at the Balaidos puts the 33-year-old on 23 goals in all competitions for Madrid so far this season.

Real's victory also edges Zinedine Zidane's side to within three points of league leaders Atletico Madrid, as the French boss continues his quest to lift back-to-back titles with the Spanish giants.

Atletico and Ronald Koeman's Barca play their league games on Sunday.

Celta Vigo 1-3 Real Madrid - as it happened

Benzema shines again for Real

With nine games to go until the end of the La Liga season, Benzema has hit a purple patch at just the right time.

His strike against Atalanta on Tuesday gave Real the platform to secure a 4-1 aggregate win that put them through to an eye-catching Champions League quarter-final against Premier League champions Liverpool.

In Saturday's encounter with Celta Vigo, Benzema first latched on to Kroos' threaded pass to turn his marker and clinically finish into the bottom corner past goalkeeper Ivan Villar.

His second - and eighth in six matches - was a left-footed shot driven home after midfielder Kroos dispossessed defender Renato Tapia on the edge of the Celta penalty area.

Benzema's assist for Asensio's late, close-range shot was checked by VAR for offside, but the strike was awarded on the full-time whistle.

There were good and bad points for Zidane to ponder after Madrid's second win in a week.

His side are now unbeaten in 10 away games in La Liga but have not kept a clean sheet in their last four league games.

It was also a nervy second 45 minutes for Real, as former Liverpool striker Iago Aspas twice came close to finding an equaliser for 11th-placed Celta.

The Spaniard saw an effort palmed away by Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois, then a thunderous free-kick deflected off the head of Casemiro and hit the post.

Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text

Line-ups

Celta Vigo

Formation 4-1-3-2

1Villar
2Mallo
4Araújo
24MurilloSubstituted forFerreyraat 84'minutes
19Martín
14TapiaBooked at 25mins
23MéndezSubstituted forBeltránat 84'minutes
6D SuárezBooked at 78mins
9NolitoSubstituted forSolariat 71'minutesBooked at 85minsSubstituted forFontánat 90+1'minutes
10Iago Aspas
22Mina Lorenzo

Substitutes

8Beltrán
12Ferreyra
17Juncà
18Aidoo
20Vázquez
21Solari
27Baeza
29Fontán
41Sequeira

Real Madrid

Formation 4-1-2-1-2

1Courtois
17Vázquez
5Varane
6NachoBooked at 70mins
23Mendy
14Casemiro
15Valverde
8KroosBooked at 39minsSubstituted forAsensioat 71'minutes
10ModricBooked at 80mins
20Vinícius JúniorBooked at 22mins
9Benzema

Substitutes

3Militão
11Asensio
12Marcelo
13Lunin
22Isco
25Rodrygo
26Altube
34Duro

Referee:: Mario Melero López

Match Stats

Home TeamCelta VigoAway TeamReal Madrid

Possession: Home51%; Away49%

Shots: Home8; Away16

Shots on Target: Home3; Away4

Corners: Home1; Away7

Fouls: Home23; Away13

Live Text

Post update
Match ends, Celta Vigo 1, Real Madrid 3.
90'+5'
Full Time
Second Half ends, Celta Vigo 1, Real Madrid 3.

90'+4'
Goal!
Goal! Celta Vigo 1, Real Madrid 3. Marco Asensio (Real Madrid) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Karim Benzema.
90'+1'
Substitution
Substitution, Celta Vigo. José Manuel Fontán replaces Augusto Solari because of an injury.
90'+1'
Post update
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Augusto Solari.
90'+1'
Post update
Attempt blocked. Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Federico Valverde with a cross.
90'
Post update
Foul by Aarón Martín (Celta Vigo).
90'
Post update
Federico Valverde (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'
Post update
Attempt blocked. Facundo Ferreyra (Celta Vigo) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
90'
Post update
Attempt blocked. Facundo Ferreyra (Celta Vigo) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Iago Aspas with a cross.
87'
Post update
Foul by Augusto Solari (Celta Vigo).
87'
Post update
Casemiro (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
86'
Post update
Foul by Hugo Mallo (Celta Vigo).
86'
Post update
Casemiro (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
85'
Post update
Aarón Martín (Celta Vigo) wins a free kick on the left wing.
85'
Post update
Foul by Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid).
85'
Booking
Augusto Solari (Celta Vigo) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
84'
Post update
Foul by Augusto Solari (Celta Vigo).
84'
Post update
Casemiro (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
84'
Substitution
Substitution, Celta Vigo. Fran Beltrán replaces Brais Méndez.

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