Real Madrid vs. Villarreal: Live Score, Highlights from La Liga Game.
Villarreal 2-3 Real Madrid
Good evening everyone and welcome to this MARCA in English live blog for the Copa del Rey clash between Villarreal and Real Madrid. The match will see Los Blancos return from Saudi Arabia and play in somewhat more familiar surroundings at the Estadio de la Ceramica, home of Quique Setien’s charges.
In the previous round, Villarreal were comfortable winners away to FC Cartagena, although what is perhaps more prevalent in the team’s mind is their LaLiga Santander victory.
Carlo Ancelotti bemoaned his team’s lack of energy in that defeat, but will be expecting his team to bounce back with a victory after the Supercopa de Espana final defeat to Barcelona in Riyadh.
Villarreal 2-3 Real Madrid
A sensational second half performance capped by a superb Ceballos goal which takes Real Madrid into the quarter-finals. Villarreal were comfortably the better team in the opening 45 minutes, but a more assured and assertive Los Blancos side were inspired by Ceballos came on as a sub 56 minutes in and immediately set up Vini for the first. Militao bagged the equaliser, before the midfielder hit the winner on the 86th minute.
Attempt missed. Jorge Cuenca (Villarreal) header from the right side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Daniel Parejo with a cross following a set piece situation.
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Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid).
Attempt missed. José Morales (Villarreal) right footed shot from outside the box following a corner.
Things had gotten serious in the Copa del Rey as Real Madrid had a chance to progress to the quarter finals of a competition that they barely ever win. Villarreal posed a strong challenge, meaning that the opportunities that youth players received in the previous round would be hard to come by this time out. Carlo Ancelotti did name Castilla talent Vinicius Tobias on the bench after fans had been crying out for his inclusion – and he was joined by Luis López and Mario Martin Martín. The starting line-up was a far more experienced one, though – with Thibaut Courtois starting over Andriy Lunin for the first cup game in a long time. Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio were amongst the other substitutes. Karim Benzema captained the team.