Technical sheet:
2 – Real Madrid: Monday; Carvajal, Tchouaméni, Rüdiger, Mendy; Camavinga (Militao, m.70), Fede Valverde, Modric (Lucas Vázquez, m.92), Bellingham; Vinicius (Güler, m.80) and Mbappé (Rodrygo, m.70).
0 – Villarreal: Diego Conde; Femenía, Raul Albiol (Bailly, m.68), Costa, Cardona (Bernat, m.86); Comesaña, Pape Gueye, Dani Parejo (Terrats, m.79), Álex Baena (Jeremy, m.68); Pépé (Ilias, m.68) and Barry.
Goals:
1-0, m.14: Fede Valverde.
2-0, m.73: Vinícius.
Real Madrid adds three golden points against Villarreal thanks to two individual flashes from Fede Valverde and Vinicius. Two shots from outside the area knocked Villarreal to the canvas and further compressed the League’s lead on a night in which Dani Carvajal could have suffered a serious injury.
Marcelino’s team was not the most suitable rival, according to Madrid fans, for visit the white team three days after knowing the first defeat of the seasonin Lille. The yellow submarine is a very hard-working team, which knows how to play in every part of the games both at home and away.
Everything turned upside down for the locals in the minute 13 thanks to Fede Valverde’s goal. The Uruguayan shot from outside the area and the ball touched Baena to end up in the visitors’ net.
From then on, Real Madrid controlled possession as they were not overwhelmed by emergencies. The trident Bellingham, Vinicius and Mbappe (this time Rodrygo and Endrick were injured) failed to string together plays as expected in the first half, again the dangerous actions came in individual flashes. Like the Englishman’s in the 36th minute, which nearly scored the second goal with a shot from the edge of the area.
Fede Valverde: ”We heard Carvajal crying, which is something that doesn’t happen every day’
In the second half, Villarreal was not awarded a penalty that seemed clear due to Thierno Barry’s previous offside. It was minute 6 of the second round and the visitors threatened the current champion.
Unlike the first part, in this second the possession was not monopolized. Parejo and Baena were in charge of dyeing the ball equally white and yellow.
All the yellows’ threats were eliminated by Vinicius with a sharp shot against which Conde could do nothing in the 73rd minute. Another individual play by one of its stars meant the second goal of the party. Minutes later the forward had to leave the field with pain in his shoulder while the stadium demanded the Ballon d’Or for Vini.
Ancelotti: “The locker room is sad for Carvajal”
Carvajal’s departure overshadows the end
Marcelino’s changes were not enough to alter the score and the match would end with that 2-0 that brings Ancelotti’s team closer to the leader. Barça and Madrid now have 21 points at the top of the table waiting for the culés to play their match on Sunday.
The worst of the night was, without a doubt, the ugly injury to Dani Carvajal in the 93rd minute. The white captain collided with Yeremy Pino when clearing and his leg suffered whiplash that set off all the alarms in the merengue club.
