Real Madrid on Saturday suffered a 3-2 defeat by Villarreal in La Liga in a thrilling clash ahead of their UEFA Champions League showdown against Chelsea next week.
The champions remain 12 points behind leaders Barcelona, who face Girona today, with Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze scoring twice in a sensational individual display.
Pau Torres’s own-goal sent Madrid in front, but Chukwueze leveled before the break.
Photo: AP
Vinicius Junior netted a superb solo goal before Jose Luis Morales equalized again and Chukwueze curled home a superb winner, which reduced Madrid’s hopes of retaining the title to virtually nothing.
“The truth is, it was hard for us to be 100 percent motivated, that’s quite normal,” Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti told Movistar. “If you aren’t 100 percent, you have to be better on the pitch, we weren’t organized, they manage the ball well and it was hard for us to get it back.”
However he said the defeat did not allow any doubts to creep in ahead of Chelsea’s visit in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.
“We knew it could be complicated, and Wednesday is another story. Our level dipped a bit today, but on Wednesday it will be at the maximum,” he said.
The coach made six changes from the 4-0 Clasico thrashing of Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final in the middle of last week, with Europe in mind.
However he maintained his attacking trio of Karim Benzema, Rodrygo and Vinicius, looking to put the game to bed early. Marco Asensio and Vinicius combined for Madrid’s opener, with Torres deflecting the latter’s cross into his own net.
Villarreal rose to fifth, two points clear of Real Betis Balompie.
Villareal coach Quique Setien lavished praise on Chukwueze.
“For a few weeks he’s been giving us a lot, he’s a permanent threat,” the former Barcelona boss said. “Not just in goals, but in passes, chances, he’s an extraordinary player who is giving us a lot.”
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