Fourteen points clear at the LaLiga summit, Carlo Ancelotti made 10 changes to the side that thumped Alaves 5-0 last time out. They faced a Villarreal outfit that had four wins in the last five, which had given them a chance of squeaking into Europe as they trailed Real Betis by four points with two games remaining.
The home side started well, but were undone by a clinical counterattacking move inside the opening quarter of an hour. After three goals in his last four appearances, 19-year-old Arda Guler was fed by Brahim Diaz, before taking a touch and stroking home confidently into the opposing corner.
Even with a second string side, Real Madrid’s quality was clear for all to see. It didn’t take long for them to double their lead, this time through veteran forward Joselu, who continues to age like a fine wine. He took his league tally into double figures by heading home an inch-perfect Lucas Vazquez cross from the right, surviving an offside VAR review in the process.
Just as it looked as though the away side were about to run riot, a lapse in concentration from Dani Ceballos allowed Villarreal to gain an unlikely foothold. The ball was nicked off his toes on the byline by Yerson Mosquera, whose outside-of-the-foot cross was met by Sorloth to pull one back.
Remarkably, though, there was still more action to come prior to the break, as Vazquez made it three before Guler secured his double with another clinical finish cutting in off the right hand side.
Madrid’s defence were 15 goals better than any other team in the league this season, but seemingly the lack of cohesion from a new look back four took its toll as they astonishingly conceded three goals in 15 minutes after the break to wipe away their advantage. All the talk had been about the opposing Jude Bellingham, who Sorloth sat level on goals with in the Pichichi race before today.
The Norwegian now looks almost certain to become the first Villarreal player to receive the award since Diego Forlan 19 years ago, with three well taken goals to take his tally for the day to four.
Wholesale changes were made by Ancelloti following the final goal, which seemed to stem the tide as the home side continued to push for a much-needed, but ultimately elusive winner. In the end it wasn’t to come, with both sides left with dead-rubber final games as Madrid are now without a win in seven at Villarreal.
Flashscore Player of the Match: Alexander Sorloth (Villarreal)
