Welsh star Gareth Bale is set to make his return for Real Madrid in Monday's home clash with Celta. The Welshman has scored nine goals in 15 appearances since his world-record transfer from Tottenham, but missed the club's trip to Valencia in their final game before the mid-season break due to a calf injury. Bale returned to training on Friday and could be given a spot in the starting line-up against Celta.
Real Madrid won 3-2 at Valencia despite Bale's absence and the win kept the Spanish giants in touch with Atletico and Barcelona, who sit eight and five points above them in the league table. In fact, Atletico and Barcelona are the only teams to have beaten Real Madrid this season. Los Blancos have won their last three home league matches, scoring 16 goals in the process. Cristiano Ronaldo bagged six of those goals by scoring hat-tricks against both Sevilla and Real Sociedad. Ronaldo's tally this season is an impressive 27 goals in 21 games in all competitions.
Fabio Coentrao will also be available for the Celta game after a month out with a hamstring problem, but Raphael Varane and Sami Khedira (both knee) remain sidelined. On the other hand Celta are just one point above the relegation zone after a poor run of just one win in their last five league matches. They have picked up just four victories from their 17 Liga fixtures this season, but three of those wins have come away from home, at Real Betis, Malaga and Sevilla.
Here are the odds for Monday's match at Bet365:
Real Madrid win - 1/12
Draw - 10/1
Celta win - 25/1
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