Celta Vigo 2-2 Real Madrid (4-3 agg): Zinedine Zidane's side out of Copa del Rey
Thursday 26 January 2017 08:42, UK
Real Madrid have been eliminated from the Copa del Rey after a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo in their quarter-final second leg ensured they lost 4-3 on aggregate.
The La Liga leaders, who lost the first leg by a 2-1 scoreline to their eighth-placed opponents at the Bernabeu, remained in contention to advance until an 85th-minute goal from Daniel Wass effectively secured Celta's progress to the competition's final four.
An own goal shortly before half-time from Danilo had extended the hosts' aggregate lead, but after Cristiano Ronaldo equalised in the second half, the tie remained finely balanced until Wass' late finish.
Lucas Vazquez brought Real level again five minutes later, but they were unable to secure the third goal they needed to avoid being knocked out.
Real next host Real Sociedad in La Liga on Sunday, one day after Celta visit Leganes, with both games live on Sky Sports.
Reaching the semi-finals far from flattered Celta in a largely competitive affair. Danilo, who had also scored an own goal earlier this month against Real's title rivals Sevilla, gave the hosts the lead in the 44th minute.
Promising build-up play created space for John Guidetti in the penalty area. The striker shot towards goal, but though goalkeeper Kiko Casilla parried away, the ball rebounded onto Danilo and powerfully into the net to ensure his second own goal in three games.
Ronaldo had already threatened by that point, first with a header and then a close-range effort in quick succession. Sergio Ramos, however, wasted another chance when heading straight at Celta goalkeeper Sergio Alvarez.
Celta had also responded when Guidetti forced a save from Casilla.
It was from an exceptional 25-yard free-kick from Ronaldo that brought Real level. The forward shot through Celta's wall, beyond goalkeeper Sergio Alvarez and inside the far post in the 62nd minute to score his first goal in the Copa del Rey since January 2015.
The Portugal international threatened again with a further free-kick, while Ramos also did with a header shortly afterwards, but the second goal Real required continued to elude them.
Another header from Ramos went comfortably off target, and as the game progressed Wass restored Celta's lead by impressively curling first-time into the bottom-right corner beyond Casilla after a lay-off on the edge of the area.
Substitute Vazquez headed Real's second in stoppage time, but did little to prevent their elimination or leave them with two draws and two defeats from their past five fixtures.