New signing Jude Bellingham scored for the third straight game as Real Madrid extended their perfect start in LaLiga with a 1-0 win over Celta Vigo on Friday evening.
Madrid made two changes from their win over Almeria, as goalkeeper Kepa made his debut after his loan move from Chelsea while Eduardo Camavinga returned from his muscle injury and took the place of Toni Kroos.
Kepa was in the thick of things from the off, as Celta found the back of the net within five minutes after Jorgen Strand Larsen deflected a shot from a corner but the goal was disallowed after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review for a foul in the build-up on the Chelsea loanee.
Once Los Blancos tried to increase their pace going forward, they suffered an injury blow on 18 minutes after Vinicius Junior pulled his hamstring and he was replaced by Joselu.
Rafa Benitez's charges looked more threatening on their attacks and Jonathan Bamba came the closest to giving them the lead just before the interval with a low curling shot that missed the bottom corner agonizingly wide.
The game opened up early in the second stanza but Carlo Ancelotti's men were more aggressive going forward and Federico Valverde came close to breaking the deadlock shortly before the hour-mark with powerful shot in the box that dragged just wide.
The Italian tactician made a double change just after that get more control of the game as Kroos and Luka Modric replaced both Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni.
The move seemed to have paid off immediately for Los Blancos as they were awarded a penalty after goalkeeper Ivan Villar brought down Rodrygo in the box.
Rodrygo's spot-kick for Madrid, however, was brilliantly saved by Villar, who got a powerful hand on the shot and the rebound was cleared away.
With the game on the edge, it took a set-piece for Los Blancos to take the lead nine minutes before time as Jude Bellingham powered home a glancing header and got his fourth goal of the season, their top goal-scorer, after a flick on by Joselu from Kroos' corner.
Madrid slowed down the tempo of the game in the dying minutes with tactical fouls and took their time with fouls in their favour as they held on to their third straight win.
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