The Costa Rican looks like establishing himself as first choice for some time to come after his latest heroics helped to secure a vital win against La Liga's most in-form team.
Real Madrid waited all summer for their top target, David de Gea, only to miss out on the Manchester United goalkeeper when the paperwork was not competed on time on deadline day. It looked like a disaster. So it was that Keylor Navas, who was supposed to go the other way, ended up staying.
Navas never wanted to leave anyway. The Costa Rican shot-stopper had waited patiently in the shadows of former Madrid icon Iker Casillas in 2014-15 and was starting to impress as the club's first-choice keeper. Against Betis just a couple of days before the close of the transfer window, he earned an ovation at the Santiago Bernabeu thanks to a penalty save from Ruben Castro. "Keylor, Keylor Navas!" the fans sang, to the tune of Queen's 'We Will Rock You'.
Ever since the move for De Gea went wrong, Navas has gone from strength to strength. On Saturday, he produced his finest performance yet as, thanks to his saves, Madrid secured an impressive win that may just make the difference between success and failure at the end of this season in La Liga.
Celta Vigo sat level on points with los Blancos at the top of the table prior to kick-off and had yet to lose in the Primera Division this term. They also beat Barcelona 4-1 in September and came into the match with fresher legs after Madrid returned from their Champions League encounter with Paris Saint-Germain in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Nevertheless, the visitors struck the first blow through Cristiano Ronaldo and were two up after 23 minutes when Danilo added another. Celta, meanwhile, did everything but score.
That was largely down to Navas. The Costa Rican produced superb saves to deny Fabian Orellana, Jonny, Iago Aspas and Pablo 'Tucu' Hernandez as Celta pummelled the Madrid goal without reward. And when the excellent Nolito did finally beat Navas in the second half, his shot was cleared off the line by Marcelo.
The former (and perhaps future) Barcelona forward did pull back a goal with five minutes remaining with an unstoppable drive that flew into the top corner. It was always going to take something special to beat Navas and Nolito - the best outfield player on the park at Balaidos - was the man most likely to produce it.
Celta had been playing with 10 men following the controversial dismissal of Gustavo Cabral (who picked up two bookings in quick succession earlier in the half) but Madrid's fatigue was showing and the home side threw everything at Rafa Benitez's men in the closing stages.
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