Celta Vigo 1-3 Real Madrid: Five talking points

Real Madrid survived a late onslaught to pick up all three points at Balaidos as they subjugated Celta Vigo to their first defeat of the season with a 3-1 win, and now remain the only side yet to be beaten in Spanish top flight.Cristiano Ronaldo opened the account for the evening in the 8th minute from a tight angle, before Danilo doubled their lead from the same position after some sloppy defending from the hosts. The Galicians were then reduced to 10-men in the second half after Cabral was sent off for haranguing the referee, but refused to throw in the towel and rallied forward in search of a life-line.For all their valiant fight, Celta found one when striker Nolito struck a thunderous effort from the edge of the box to half the deficit, but all hopes of a comeback were quashed when Marcelo scored deep in the extra time to put the result beyond Celta’s grasp.The victory leaves Blancos at the summit of the standings, but they can be joined by Barcelona if they beat Eibar at home, a day later. Here are the five talking points from the game.

#1 Real Madrid\'s defence shines again

For all their defensive frailties of last season, Real Madrid have metamorphosed into a team with one of the best defensive records in Europe this campaign. With only two goals conceded in 11 games prior to this clash, Los Blancos were truly leading an example from the rump of the team.

The defensive quartet of Danilo, Varane, Ramos and Marcelo, dispatched a resolute showing at the back and held the hosts for large spells of the game. Whether it was breaking Celta’s counter-attack, or close marking of players or even thwarting them in the final third, Real’s defence were simply a class apart.

Although the momentum began to fizzle out a little in the final few moments when the Galician outfit started pressing high up relentlessly, there’s no denying the durability this Real Madrid rearguard showcased for the better part of the game.

With such a stout defense, Blancos are fast becoming a force to be reckoned with in Europe.