Real Madrid beat Celta to pressure Barça before Atletico visit

BARCELONA: Real Madrid beat Celta Vigo 2-0 on Saturday to pressure Barcelona before the Spanish leader hosts Atletico Madrid needing a win to quash any fears of a late season slump.

Marco Asensio put Madrid ahead three minutes before halftime from a pass by Vinicius Junior after the winger sped clear on the flank.

Center back Eder Militao again showed his punch in attack by using a powerful header to turn in a corner kick by Asensio in the 48th.

Madrid’s win trimmed Barcelona’s still-healthy lead to eight points with one more game played.

Two rounds ago, Barcelona could have gone ahead by as many as 15 before it was held to two consecutive draws that allowed Madrid to breathe a little bit of life into its nearly hopeless title defense.

A loss by Barcelona to third-placed Atletico at Camp Nou on Sunday could embolden Madrid with eight games to play.

Either way, Madrid has prioritized a possible cup double, not a still unlikely comeback in the domestic league.

After three more league games, Madrid will play Osasuna on May 6 in the Copa del Rey final. Just three days later, the Champions League holder hosts Manchester City in the semifinals.

For goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who made a late stop to deny Celta’s Iago Aspas one-on-one, Madrid can have it both ways.

“We are going to keep fighting until the last game,” Courtois said. “We have to try to win these next three games, and then after the Copa del Rey final we will see what the difference is. And, in any case, our task is to keep winning so we have good momentum going into the Champions League (semifinals).”

Coach Carlo Ancelotti left first-choice players Luka Modrid, Toni Kroos, Rodrygo, and Dani Carvajal, who all started in their 2-0 win at Chelsea last