Madrid (AFP)

Leadership in question: feverish in defense, Real Madrid were hung 2-2 on their field by Celta Vigo, 18th in Liga on Sunday at the end of the 24th day, but managed to keep the first place in the championship thanks to a penalty by Sergio Ramos.

But beware, the Barcelona dolphin is now only a small point behind ...

Defense too offensive? Merengue captain Sergio Ramos scored his 6th goal of the season on Sunday by transforming the 2-1 penalty after Toni Kroos' first goal (52nd) against Celta, but the white curtain showed disturbing signs of weakness at ten days from the reception of Manchester City in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League.

Celta, almost relegated, managed to snatch a point from the Bernabeu, thanks to two goals from Fedor Smolov (7th) and Santi Mina (85th), who had just entered two minutes earlier, despite the red card sent to the bench for having thrown a second ball on the ball at the end of the match (90th).

If Ramos, who had already scored a goal canceled by the referee for an offside position just after the return from the locker room (48th), reassured on his level, the rest of the "White House" was good too permissive Sunday.

Zinédine Zidane's men were repeatedly overtaken in the first period and at the end of the match by lightning strikes by Celta, which managed to make good use of the few balls conceded by the Merengues ... An observation to say the least worryingly, less than ten days before the arrival of the Citizens and their offensive firepower in Madrid.

And the curtain of the "White House" is not free from any reproach either on the goal of the opening of the score: certainly, the deep pass of the captain of Vigo, Iago Aspas, is bright, but Raphaël Varane and Dani Carvajal did not get along and let Fedor Smolov slip away, who only had to adjust Thibaut Courtois (7th).

From goal, Real Madrid had 83 minutes to score twice and go for the victory. The equalization of Kroos, found by Marcelo, was not enough ... And the return of Eden Hazard (29, 1 goal and 4 assists in 14 games in all competitions this season), absent three months because of a microfracture on the left ankle, and holder Sunday evening, either.

- Hazard, sharp -

The Belgian international striker (105 caps) was however present, behind the penalty whistled in the 63rd minute in favor of Real, after a foul by Celta goalkeeper Ruben Blanco on the Belgian in his area, and n has shown no signs of fatigue in his first game since returning to competition.

The whole stadium even warmly applauded him and Zidane gave him a friendly pat on the head when he left (73), replaced by Vinicius.

Despite a very rough game, Real Madrid managed to chain a 15th game without defeat in La Liga, and keep a small point ahead of the ranking on their dolphin, FC Barcelona.

This draw was all the more necessary to keep the controls, as on Saturday, Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann (scorer), the two striker stars of Barça still able, allowed the Blaugranas to chain a third consecutive success in Liga 2 -1 against the surprise Getafe at Camp Nou. A positive sign ten days before their trip to Naples for the eighth finals of the Champions League.

© 2020 AFP