Celta Vigo 0-1 Real Madrid: Jude Bellingham scores again to maintain visitors’ perfect start as Kepa Arrizabalaga keeps a clean sheet on his debut after VAR rules out third minute goal

Jude Bellingham has done it again. His header from a corner kick in the second half gave Real Madrid a 1-0 win over Celta Vigo and it means his team is at the top and he is La Liga’s top goalscorer.

Joseph Aidoo was tight against the England man but Bellingham simply rolled him and headed his header home to decide the game nine minutes from time. Then came the now famous celebration with arms outstretched and the jeers of the home supporters – they had kept him under control for a long time, but in the end he had prevailed.

It gave Madrid three points in a game in which Kepa Arrizabalaga also made his debut and Vinicius was injured.

Chelsea loanee Kepa almost gave in after Celta’s first attack. He hit a corner clear, but it fell to Fran Beltran and his shot was diverted home by Strand Larsen. The Norwegian striker had a handful of Kepa shirt with him in the run-up and so the goal did not stand. Celta will complain that Larsen had not hindered Kepa from hitting clear.

Rafa Benitez, against the club he briefly replaced with Carlo Ancelotti in 2015, had put Celta on a 5-4-1 without the ball and they suppressed Bellingham’s threat in the first half by blocking passes to him and finishing his runs to act. in the area thanks to their extra centre-back.

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With the ball, Celta jumped into a more offensive 3-4-3 and they almost scored when Jonathan Bamba’s shot curled just wide.

Madrid struggled to get through, losing the crippled Vinicius after 16 minutes as he retired after a powerful run forward that ended in him failing to find Rodrygo Goes.

Bellingham came under fire from the Celta Vigo defenders, but just before the break he brilliantly found space, allowing Joselu to drift offside. He scored through the Englishman’s pass, but the flag was up.

On the hour mark, Ancelotti brought in Toni Kroos and Luka Modric for Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni and almost immediately Bellinghman appeared to have twisted his knee and was limping. Should he get off? No, instead he passed the ball to Rodrygo and Ivan Villar came storming out to knock him down.

There was a rematch between the two for the penalty and Villar saved from Rodrygo’s kick which dived wide to the right.

Bellingham had fully recovered from the injury scare and started to find space for Celta’s defence.

Benitez responded by bringing in another defensive midfielder in the form of Renato Tapia, but that wasn’t enough.

With nine minutes to go Modric’s corner was headed into the six-metre area by Joselu and Bellingham’s header left Villar without a chance.

Madrid nine points from nine and four goals for Bellingham.