MADRID — A much-changed Real Madrid team were beaten 3-2 by Villarreal on Saturday to give up more ground in the LaLiga title race.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti made six changes to the side that beat Barcelona 4-0 in the Copa del Rey but Madrid went ahead in the 16th minute, Marco Asensio‘s pass deflecting in off defender Pau Torres.
Samuel Chukwueze drew Villarreal level before halftime before Vinicius Junior put Madrid back in front after the break, beating three defenders ahead of a cool finish.
Substitute Jose Luis Morales equalised and Chukwueze fired a spectacular, 80th minute winner to give Villarreal just their second ever win at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Rapid reaction
1. Madrid stretched by LaLiga, Copa and Champions League demands
This was always going to be an awkward game for Madrid, sandwiched between a Copa del Rey Clasico semifinal second leg at Barcelona and their priority for the rest of the season: keeping their Champions League prospects alive in Wednesday’s quarterfinal first leg with Chelsea.
But it’s not like they can just throw in the towel at this stage in LaLiga either, despite Barca’s sizeable lead at the top of the table. That meant a delicate balancing act from coach Carlo Ancelotti: picking a team strong enough to deal with Villarreal, while simultaneously resting some tired legs.
