Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has attributed his side’s unexpected 2-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo to a combination of injuries, red cards, and contentious refereeing decisions that disrupted their game plan and widened the gap with LaLiga leaders Barcelona to four points.

Two second-half goals from Williot Swedberg stunned the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday, with Celta capitalizing on Madrid’s errors and moments of disorganization. Madrid’s problems grew worse after Fran García and Álvaro Carreras were both shown red cards, leaving the team with ten men and struggling to mount a comeback.

Alonso admitted that the team never settled into the rhythm he expected, especially after Éder Militão suffered an early injury that forced a tactical adjustment.

“We planned the match after the Bilbao game to play at a high pace and put pressure on a good side. We were lacking in some areas, and the injury disrupted our plans. We struggled to react—ironically, our best spell came when we were down to ten men,” he said post-match.

The Madrid manager also expressed frustration with referee Quintero González, insisting that several decisions unsettled the players and affected the flow of the game.

“The referee’s decisions drove us crazy. He was just waiting to give Álvaro Carreras that card. The refereeing was very poor—the time-wasting, everything. Overall, I didn’t like the officiating,” Alonso added.