Kylian Mbappe struck twice as Real Madrid edged out a late Celta Vigo fightback in a tense 3-2 La Liga victory on Saturday night, cutting Barcelona’s lead to four points ahead of next weekend’s explosive El Clasico.
Real took command in the 33rd minute through Arda Guler, whose curling shot—via a slight deflection—found the top corner. Mbappe made it 2-0 six minutes later with a thunderous finish after a lightning counterattack.
The French superstar struck again early in the second half, slotting home from Guler’s sublime through ball to make it 3-0. At that point, a rout seemed likely.
But Celta Vigo refused to roll over.
Javi Rodriguez pulled one back after Madrid failed to clear a corner, and Iago Aspas delivered a moment of magic to assist Williot Swedberg for a composed finish in the 76th minute, narrowing the gap to 3-2.
Pablo Duran nearly equalized moments later, but Thibaut Courtois recovered just in time after the initial shot slipped under him.
In a frantic finale, both sides traded chances, but Los Blancos clung to their lead, securing a crucial win in the title race.
The victory sends Real Madrid to next weekend’s El Clasico knowing that a fifth straight league win would put them within one point of leaders Barcelona with just three matches to go.
Celta Vigo, meanwhile, remain seventh in the table, still battling for a coveted European spot.
