The LaLiga leaders were forced to settle for a draw at the Santiago Bernabéu. It was not the result every Madridista wanted but the White Team faced a very strong Yellow Submarine which often put the hosts in difficulty. Real Madrid dropped points at home for the first time this season with this goalless draw and at the end it really seemed that this was the fairest result.
After having their way in midweek versus Mallorca, it was the complete opposite for Carlo Ancelotti's men against the Yellow Submarine, who were resolute, organized and compact in turning away Los Blancos. Ancelotti showed a wrinkle to his starting XI, as Fede Valverde slotted in at right-back and Nacho was at left-back. Luka Modric and Casemiro returned to midfield, along with Marco Asensio, and Rodrygo in attack.
Real Madrid couldn't find a way past the solid Villarreal side as the game that was split evenly between the two halves. The visitors enjoyed the better of the first period before Ancelotti's men came into the game in the second, fighting to the last to take the win. The first chance went the way of the team from Castellón following a fine move by Danjuma, who whipped in a shot from just inside the box but was denied by Courtois' superb diving stop on 13 minutes.
The Real Madrid response came swiftly from the boots of Karim Benzema. The competition's leading marksman unleashed a fierce drive from range on 21' which flew just wide of the target. Two minutes later, Rodrygo caught out the visiting defence with a cross-shot which forced Gerónimo Rulli to exhibit his impressive reactions. After that, there was some poking and prodding from Madrid, but nothing that gave Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli any trouble.
If anything, Villarreal remained the better side and Dajuma again had a crack a goal, only to see his effort slice wide. Before the half-time whistle was blown, the madridistas claimed a penalty to no avail when Nacho went down under challenge from Albiol.
At the half-time interval, Ancelotti introduced Eduardo Camavinga in place of Rodrygo and the madridistas came close to making the breakthrough on 50’, when Marco Asensio’s free-kick was met by Militão, who stole a march on everyone but failed to direct his bullet header on target. Five minutes later, a quick-fire counter-attack from the visitors culminated with Danjuma firing in an effort straight at Courtois.
Villarreal again came close on 57’, when Juan Foyth nodded on a free-kick into the path of Paco Alcácer, whose first-time effort flashed narrowly past the upright. From that point on, the home side laid siege to the Villarreal goal and very nearly found a winner in the 83rd minute, when Isco got his head to Eden Hazard’s cross, only to be denied as Rulli clawed the ball from off the goal line. Ancelotti’s charges continued to probe, but Villarreal stood firm and showed exactly why they are yet to have been beaten so far this term.
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