Valverde scored in the 90+5th minute, as Real Madrid beat Celta Vigo to close the gap on Barcelona.

Real Madrid secured a thrilling 2-1 victory against Celta Vigo thanks to a late goal from Federico Valverde. This result brings Alvaro Arbeloa's side closer to Barcelona at the top of the table in the dramatic La Liga title race.

A spectacular first half and Celta Vigo's resilience.

The match at Celta Vigo's stadium was lively right from the start. Although Real Madrid entered the game with high determination, the home team controlled the game better in the first 10 minutes. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had to make an early save after a dangerous shot from Borja Iglesias in the 6th minute.

However, Los Blancos' class shone through at the right moment. In the 11th minute, from a short corner kick combination between Alexander-Arnold and Arda Guler, Aurelien Tchouameni unleashed a precise shot from outside the penalty area, opening the scoring 1-0 for Real Madrid. Notably, this was a period of high form for the French midfielder, as he had also scored in the Champions League earlier.

The visitors' joy was short-lived. In the 25th minute, taking advantage of the space on the right flank, Williot Swedberg provided a perfect assist for Borja Iglesias to finish decisively, leveling the score at 1-1 for Celta Vigo.

The breathtaking pressure and drama from VAR

In the second half, Real Madrid increased the pressure tremendously, with possession reaching 70%. However, Celta Vigo's disciplined defense, especially the outstanding performance of center-back Carl Starfelt, frustrated the visiting team's strikers. In the 64th minute, Starfelt made a diving save to block Thiago Pitarch's shot from just outside the penalty area.

The match reached a climax in the 71st minute when the referee denied Real Madrid a penalty after consulting VAR. Although the ball had touched Ferran Jutgla's hand in the penalty area, the referee determined that Cesar Palacios had committed a push earlier in the play.

Just when it seemed the match would end in a draw, in the 90+5th minute, Federico Valverde became the hero. The Uruguayan midfielder's powerful shot deflected off a Celta Vigo defender and flew into the net, securing an emotional 2-1 victory.

Match statistics and league standings

This victory gives Real Madrid three crucial points, directly narrowing the gap with Barcelona to just one point, even though Arbeloa's team has played one more game than their rivals.

Here are the starting lineups for both teams in this match: