Following the end of the second international break of the season, Real Madrid return to action this weekend as they take on Celta Vigo.
It is a must-win encounter for Carlo Ancelotti’s men as they look to keep up the pressure on league leaders Barcelona, who have a three-point lead heading into this matchday.
But the game against Celta Vigo will be far from a walk in the park, as the Sky Blues can often be unpredictable.
Iago Aspas on Real Madrid tie
To that end, Celta Vigo’s attacking star Iago Aspas spoke of his team’s chances against Real Madrid heading into this key affair.
“It’s a very difficult opponent, but we’re at home, in front of our fans. We’ve already played against great rivals and we’ve put them under pressure. We hope to not only score but beat Real Madrid,” he said (h/t Mundo Deportivo).
Iago Aspas admitted the difficulty of surprising Real Madrid because they are “one of the best teams in the world”, although he is clinging on to the “great” performance his team are giving at their stadium to beat the current European champions.
Celta Vigo have indeed been quite strong at home, especially following the arrival of new coach Claudio Giraldez. So far this season, the team has given up points only against Atletico Madrid.
Talking about the loss against Atleti, Aspas said, “I think we deserved much more in that match, not just a draw but also the three points. Now we have another very nice match coming up and we are going for the three points because they are very important to us,”
Aspas went on to heap praise on the new coach, adding, “You can’t relax with this coaching staff, they are always on edge working very hard.”
Aspas has been a great servant for Celta Vigo over the years and has a tally of over 200 goals for the club.
However, the veteran forward won’t be available against Real Madrid, on account of the red card picked up in the last game against Las Palmas.
With four goals and two assists in nine matches, Aspas’ absence will indeed be a huge blow for Celta Vigo as they look to stage an upset this weekend.