On Saturday night Real Madrid ended the hopes on La Liga after a surprise defeat vs Villarreal in Santiago Bernabeu. Real Madrid found a very competitive opponent that was not willing to give up in any way and always kept coming back. Villarreal’s hopes for a spot in the 23/24 UCL with 10 games remaining are more than real and they proved that. Although preparing games where the motivation is difficult to be kept high, Madridistas managed to play a fairly good game but lacked balance. There were many shots towards the opponent’s goal but more accuracy was needed since the game was open and the danger to concede was always present.
The Whites had most of the chances in the early stages of the game. Vini Jr. almost opened the scoring in the 14th minute, in a move started by Tchouameni, who took a quick free kick. The Brazilian's shot going inches wide. It was 1-0 after 15 minutes with some quick attacking play, Asensio's shot coming off Pau Torres to beat Reina. Ancelotti's men continued their offensive and they had a double chance to extend their lead in the 19th minute. Firstly, Reina performed well to block Benzema's left-footed shot and was also up to the challenge in the subsequent one-on-one to deny Rodrygo.
Villarreal would then react with a Chukwueze individual effort in the 24th minute and a long-range shot from Baena that touched a Madrid player and came close to surprising Courtois. The visitors did get it right on the stroke of half-time however. Chukwueze received inside the area, shimmied one way and then the other to beat Courtois in the 40th minute. Foyth's shot in stoppage time from inside the area took a deflection and Courtois was forced to dive keeping the attempt out.
Militão replaced Alaba after the re-start and Madrid soon regained the lead with 48 minutes on the clock. Vini Jr. picked up the ball in a congested area and made his way past four Villarreal defenders including a nutmeg on Mandi before slotting neatly home past Reina in goal. The Whites almost extended their lead eight minutes later when Ceballos won back possession and launched a blistering counterattack which ended with the Brazilian shooting narrowly wide of the target.
Vini Jr. went close again in the 63rd minute, but Foyth came to his team’s rescue after the forward had beaten Reina. The visitors’ riposte came two minutes after as Yeremy Pino looked to catch out Courtois. Morales struck the equaliser for Villarreal on the 70-minute mark after a series of rebounds in the box. The goal was initially ruled out as Chukwueze seemed to be in an offside position, but the VAR later overruled the decision and the goal stood.
Ten minutes from full time the visitors made it 2-3 after a fine strike from Chukwueze into the top corner. Three minutes later, Alberola Rojas awarded a penalty for a handball by Mandi, but the decision was reversed after the VAR’s intervention and the referee going over to the screen. The Madridistas went in search of an equaliser, but it was to no avail, and they must now turn their attentions to the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Chelsea.
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