Real Madrid suffered another setback in the Spanish football league title fight. The “Royal” surprisingly lost 2: 3 (1: 1) to Villarreal in a gripping game with the recently injured ÖFB star David Alaba, who was replaced by coach Carlo Ancelotti during the half-time break. Samuel Chukwueze became the match winner for the guests with two dream goals.
This also made a preliminary decision in the championship, ten rounds before the end of the season Real is still twelve points behind FC Barcelona. However, the Catalans have played a game less and can extend their lead against FC Girona on Monday. Real also failed the dress rehearsal for the quarter-final first leg in the Champions League against Chelsea on Wednesday. Villarreal, who had already won the first league duel against Real in January (2-1), temporarily climbed to fifth place in the fight for the European Cup starting places.
The Madrilenians took the lead through an unfortunate own goal by Pau Torres (16) after an Asensio cross. Chukwueze nibbled on Nacho in front of 57,887 spectators at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu and scored an equalizer before the break (39′). Just a few minutes after the change of sides, Vinicius Jr. restored the old lead with his ninth league goal (48th) after a solo against four Villarreal defenders. But the “Yellow Submarine” remained stubborn and turned the game around through Jose Morales (70′) and a perfect shot into the far post by Chukwueze (80′).