Villarreal came back from a pending game for the whites in the last minutes, with their minds set only on Wednesday's Champions League match against Chelsea at the Bernabéu. After the rush of victory at the Camp Nou in the Cup, Ancelotti made six changes and touched up the midfield team to the back. Villarreal, still in the fight for the Champions League positions, was an uncomfortable opponent, soft at the back, but dangerous at the front, a team that always plays the ball well, their trademark for many seasons, no matter who trains them. He waited for his moment and in it he knew how to give the finishing touch.
The game itself was entertaining, with many arrivals and an open game practically from the opening whistle. Madrid began cheerfully, with the same attacking triplet from Barcelona: Rodrygo, Vinícius and Benzema, only this time Ceballos and Tchouaméni moved the team from the engine room, accompanied by Asensio. It is not the same as having the veterans Modric and Kroos plugged in and highly motivated.
All in all, Madrid's start took Villarreal ahead, outclassed at the beginning, with inappropriate errors in defense. After a good opportunity from Vinícius, whose shot went wide, Madrid scored very early at 15, a goal that began in a run by Marco Asensio down the alley of ten that nobody knew or could stop. The move ended in a center from the Balearic Islands that stumbled on Pau Torres and slipped into the Submarino's goal.
Villarreal accused the blow and Madrd had enough time and opportunities to put land in the middle on the scoreboard. Pepe Reina avoided it with a double save, first to Benzema and then to Rodrygo, which led to a disastrous game.
Madrid's lack of a goal got Quique Setién's team into the game, which grew thanks to the presence of Parejo in the midfield, the dalliances of Lo Celso near the area and above all the presence of Samu Chukweze, who was in at all times a toothache for Nacho.
Halfway through the first half, Madrid began to lower the piston and Villarreal kept the ball and began to worry Courtois. The Belgian had to intervene to stop a long shot from Baena. The Submarine's goal could be seen coming and it finally came at minute 38 in an individual action by Chukweze who sat Nacho on a tile with a twist and shot a surprised Courtois, a great goal that Setén celebrated in style on the wing.
The first part ended with controversy. In minute 41 Tchouméni knocked down Chukweze with a very hard tackle. Alberola Rojas did not admonish the Frenchman while Setién asked the fourth official on the wing if the tackle was not worthy of the VAR intervention.
The second part began like the first, with Madrid much more involved in the game. It only took him two minutes to score again, this time in an individual action by Vinícius, who moments before had made a espaldinha diga de Ronaldinho and this time cleaved Villarreal's defense like soft cheese to stand up to Reina and beat him.
Again Villarreal had to row upstream. Mandi scored immediately but the VAR annulled the goal. Immediately, at 58, Ancelotti replaced Benzema, undoubtedly to give him rest for Wednesday. After the break, Alaba had stayed in the booth, replaced by Militao. Instead of Benzema Valverde came out, which caused a retouching. Asensio went up to attack on the right and Rodrygo became a center forward.
The final half hour was nervous and little controlled, back and forth. Vinícius missed a clear opportunity to give Madrid peace of mind, but very shortly after it was Yeremy Pino who was not successful.
It was the last thing the Canarian did because Setién made a double change: Morales and Alberto Moreno for Lo Celso and Pino. From there, Villarreal took the Bernabéu by storm. Morales tied at 70 in an action poorly defended by Madrid. Then Modric and Camavinga entered. Then came Villarreal's 3-2 draw, a sensational shot from Chukweze that came through Courtois's squad.
The controversy also reached the end with a penalty awarded by Alberola Rojas by the hand of Mandi. After notifying him of the VAR and after many minutes, the referee backtracked and saw the chest and not the hand. Madrid ended up sulking and confused. Atlético can get closer and threaten second place.
