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05/04 12:49 CDT Mbapp scores twice and Madrid wins again to trail Barcelona by
4 points ahead of 'clasico'
Mbapp scores twice and Madrid wins again to trail Barcelona by 4 points ahead
of 'clasico'
By TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer
MADRID (AP) --- Real Madrid survived a late scare but kept pace with leader
Barcelona again on Sunday, ahead of their Spanish league "clasico" next weekend.
Kylian Mbapp scored in each half as Madrid held on to beat Celta Vigo 3-2 and
remain four points behind the Catalan rival going into next Sunday's match in
Barcelona.
"La Liga is in Barcelona's hands, but we'll have more chances if we're able to
win," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "It's a great opportunity. We're going
to prepare well for Sunday's game, which I'm not saying will be decisive, but
almost."
Arda Gler also scored for Madrid, which opened a 3-0 lead early in the second
half but saw Celta get back into the game toward the end of the match at the
Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Celta had a couple of great chances to complete its comeback, including a shot
by Pablo Durn that stopped just short of the goal line after a deflection by
Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in the 78th minute. Courtois had to make a
couple of saves near the end to secure the win.
"We did very well for an hour, we could have managed the lead a little better,
but in the end it was a nice win," Ancelotti said.
Barcelona came from behind to defeat last-placed Valladolid 2-1 on Saturday,
when coach Hansi Flick rested most of the team's regular starters ahead of its
Champions League semifinal match at Inter Milan on Tuesday. Barcelona and Inter
drew 3-3 in the first leg.
Madrid gets a scare Gler put Madrid ahead with a shot into the top corner in the 33rd, and Mbapp scored in the 39th --- also finding the top corner --- and in a breakaway in the 48th. The France star hadn't scored in the league since March. The match appeared under control until Javi Rodrguez pulled the visitors closer in the 69th and Williot Swedberg scored Celta's second goal in the 76th. A couple of minutes later, Durn's shot agonizingly stopped just in front of the goal line after the ball picked up some backspin as it struck Courtois. "It was a shame," Celta striker Borja Iglesias said. "We had our chances. That shot by Pablo almost went in. It wasn't meant to be." Celta, which was coming off a 3-0 win over Villarreal, stayed in seventh place. There were a few jeers from the Bernabeu crowd as Madrid struggled to hold on to its lead late in the game.
?All the confidence in the world' It was the fourth straight league win for Madrid, which last Saturday lost the Copa del Rey final to Barcelona and last month was eliminated by Arsenal in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. "We played the last game (against Barcelona) a week ago. It was a very competitive game and we came close to winning," Ancelotti said. "We don't have to invent a lot of things. We're going to play a serious game. It's very important. We're going to play with all the confidence in the world. Despite all the difficulties, we're there and to be able to fight this match is something nice." He said having Mbapp in top form will be key. "He's going to be a very important player in this match due to the fact that Barcelona play with a very high line," Ancelotti said. "His runs in behind are going to be very important and decisive." Forward Rodrygo was not included in the squad because of illness. Also Sunday, 15th-placed Sevilla drew 2-2 with second-to-last Leganes. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Madrid gets a scare Gler put Madrid ahead with a shot into the top corner in the 33rd, and Mbapp scored in the 39th --- also finding the top corner --- and in a breakaway in the 48th. The France star hadn't scored in the league since March. The match appeared under control until Javi Rodrguez pulled the visitors closer in the 69th and Williot Swedberg scored Celta's second goal in the 76th. A couple of minutes later, Durn's shot agonizingly stopped just in front of the goal line after the ball picked up some backspin as it struck Courtois. "It was a shame," Celta striker Borja Iglesias said. "We had our chances. That shot by Pablo almost went in. It wasn't meant to be." Celta, which was coming off a 3-0 win over Villarreal, stayed in seventh place. There were a few jeers from the Bernabeu crowd as Madrid struggled to hold on to its lead late in the game.
?All the confidence in the world' It was the fourth straight league win for Madrid, which last Saturday lost the Copa del Rey final to Barcelona and last month was eliminated by Arsenal in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. "We played the last game (against Barcelona) a week ago. It was a very competitive game and we came close to winning," Ancelotti said. "We don't have to invent a lot of things. We're going to play a serious game. It's very important. We're going to play with all the confidence in the world. Despite all the difficulties, we're there and to be able to fight this match is something nice." He said having Mbapp in top form will be key. "He's going to be a very important player in this match due to the fact that Barcelona play with a very high line," Ancelotti said. "His runs in behind are going to be very important and decisive." Forward Rodrygo was not included in the squad because of illness. Also Sunday, 15th-placed Sevilla drew 2-2 with second-to-last Leganes. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
