Villarreal overcame Real Madrid in the final minutes, who seemed to have their mind set only on the Champions League and left the title on the table for Barça, who, of course, will have to take it on their own merits. After the spectacular victory at Camp Nou in the Cup, Ancelotti made six changes and tweaked the midfield team backwards. Villarreal, still in contention for the Champions League places, was an uncomfortable opponent, soft at the back, but dangerous up front, a team that always plays the ball well, its trademark for many seasons now whoever trains the training He waited for his moment and then he knew how to deliver the coup de grace.
The match itself was entertaining, with plenty of arrivals and an open game practically from the opening whistle. Madrid started cheerfully, with the same attacking trio of Barcelona: Rodrygo, Vinícius and Benzema, only this time Ceballos and Tchouaméni, accompanied by Asensio, moved the team from the engine room. It's not the same as having veterans Modric and Kroos plugged in and highly motivated.
All in all, Madrid's start was taken away by Villarreal, who were outplayed at the beginning, with improper mistakes in defense. After a good chance from Vinícius, whose shot went narrowly wide, Madrid scored very early, in the 15th, a goal that started in a race by Marco Asensio through the alley of the ten that no one knew or was able to stop. The play ended in a Balearic cross that tripped Pau Torres and sneaked into the submarine's goal.
Villarreal noticed the blow and Madrid had enough time and opportunities to put ground in the middle of the scoreboard. Pepe Reina avoided it with a double save, first on Benzema and then on Rodrygo, which completed a disastrous game.
Madrid's lack of goals got Quique Setién's team into the game, which grew thanks to the presence of Parejo in the center of the field, the flirtations of Lo Celso near the area and especially the presence of Samu Chukwueze , which was always a toothache for Nacho.
After the equalizer of the first half, Madrid gradually lowered the piston and Villarreal kept the ball and began to worry Courtois. The Belgian had to intervene to stop a long throw from Baena. The submariner's goal was coming and it finally arrived in the 38th, when a solo move by Chukwueze sat Nacho on a tile with a dodge and shot past a stunned Courtois, a goal that Setién celebrated on the sidelines.
The first part ended with controversy. In the 41st Tchouaméni brought down Chukwueze with a very hard tackle. Alberola Rojas did not warn the Frenchman while Setién asked the fourth official on the sidelines if the tackle was not worthy of VAR intervention.
The second half started like the first, with Madrid much more involved in the game. It only took two minutes to score again, this time in an individual action by Vinícius, who moments earlier had done a backhand worthy of Ronaldinho and this time split the Villarreal defense like it was soft cheese to stand in front of Reina and beat him
Once again Vila-real had to row upstream. Mandi scored straight away, but VAR disallowed the goal and Ancelotti replaced Benzema, no doubt to give him a rest ahead of Wednesday. Already after the break, Alaba had stayed in the dugout replaced by Militão. Instead of Benzema, Valverde came out, which led to a touch-up. Asensio went into attack on the right and Rodrygo moved to center forward.
The final half hour was nervous and poorly controlled, back and forth. Vinícius missed a clear opportunity to give Madrid peace of mind, but very soon after it was Yeremy Pino who was wrong.
It was the last thing the Canary did because Setién made a double change: Morales and Alberto Moreno for Lo Celso and Pino. From there, Villarreal stormed the Bernabéu. Morales equalized in the 70th in an action poorly defended by Madrid. Then Modric and Camavinga entered. Then came Villarreal's 2-3, a sensational shot by Chukwueze that went in through Courtois' box.
The controversy also came to an end with a penalty whistled by Alberola Rojas for Mandi's hand. After the VAR warned him and after many minutes, the referee gave up. Madrid ended up sulking and confused, and giving Barça a golden opportunity to clinch the title.
