Real Madrid 1 - Celta 2

Madrid: Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Iván Helguera, Roberto Carlos; Diarra (Reyes 46'), Emerson; Raúl, Guti, Robinho (Van Nistelrooy 46'); Ronaldo (Beckham 65'). 4-2-3-1.
Celta: Pinto; Angel, Contreras, Lequi, Placente; Oubiña, Iriney; Antonio Nuñez (Tamas 90'), Canobbio (Jorge 75'), Nené (Jonathan Aspas 80'); Baiano. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Madrid: Ronaldo for Van Nistelrooy / Celta: Lequi, Oubiña for Tamas, Pablo García.

Goals:
0-1. 35. Nené. Ran on to Canobbio square pass to shoot first time past Casillas.
1-1. 43. Emerson. Near post header down across Pinto from Raul's corner.
1-2. 82. Jorge. Connected with Angel's cross to shoot low wide of Casillas.

Real Madrid missed out on the chance to catch arch rivals Barcelona, and they find themselves down in fourth place after losing 1-2 to Celta. Fabio Capello's side started the day just three points behind the leaders, and they started well with Guti setting up Sergio Ramos for him to test Pinto, and then Raúl for him to shoot just wide. The coach had finally included Ronaldo in his starting line up, and the striker also brought a couple of good saves out of the keeper later in the first half.

Helguera headed over and Ramos had a penalty appeal turned down as Madrid continued to push forward. But ten minutes before the break the visitors went ahead with their first shot at goal, Canobbio setting up Nené for him to fire a low shot past Casillas on the run.

Before half time though the locals were level, Emerson getting clear of his marker to head Raúl's corner down past Pinto. But Celta were back in the game by then, and in the opening minutes of the second half Nené hit the crossbar with a curling shot from the edge of the area.

Capello had brought on Reyes and Van Nistelrooy at the break to join Ronaldo, but twenty minutes later he replaced the Brazilian striker with Beckham. But they were still unable to make any headway, and with eight minutes to go Angel won the ball off Reyes and crossed in for Jorge to restore the lead for Fernando Vázquez's side. It was the second consecutive year that the Galicians have won in the Bernabeu, and it was a first home defeat for Capello, not only this season but also including his previous spell at the club some ten years ago.