04 January,2021 07:31 PM IST | Barcelona | AP
Real Madrid`s Marco Asensio (left) celebrates scoring against Celta Vigo with teammate Lucas Vazquez on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images
Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez set one another up for goals to help Real Madrid earn a 2-0 win over Celta Vigo, as the defending champions edged one point above Atletico Madrid at the top of the Spanish league. Second-place Atletico has played three fewer matches than Madrid and will have the chance to return to the top when it visits Alaves on Sunday.
Asensio crossed to the far post for Vazquez to head in Madrid's opener in the sixth minute. Vazquez then set up his fellow forward for Asensio to double the lead in the 53rd. "We played a complete match from start to finish," Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. "We controlled the game, were balanced in our transitions between attack and defense, and recovered the ball with our pressure. We are feeling good. But there is still a long way to go in this league," Zidane said about the title race as the league approaches its midway point.
Celta had arrived at Madrid's Alfredo Di Stefano stadium as one of the hottest teams in Spain. But Vazquez and Asensio punished Celta for its aggressive pressure which left too much space on the flanks. It was the first loss in seven rounds for Celta since former player Eduardo Coudet took over as coach in November. Celta remained in eighth place.
Madrid was without central defender Sergio Ramos due an unspecified stomach ailment. But this was unlike other matches which Madrid has struggled to win in his absence.
