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Villarreal 2-2 Real Madrid: Santi Cazorla punishes Real Madrid

 

Santi Cazorla scored twice as Villarreal fought back to take a point in a chaotic 2-2 draw against a lackluster Real Madrid.

Cazorla scored the opener for Villarreal after just four minutes with a curling first time strike, but Madrid responded with a goal of their own just three minutes later as Benzema headed in from close range.
Madrid then took control of the first half and went deservedly ahead when Raphael Varane sent a powerful header past a stranded Sergio Asenjo on 20 minutes.

However, Cazorla scored a late second-half leveller to ensure Villarreal escaped with a point that takes them out of the relegation zone and leaves Madrid seven points behind league leaders Barcelona.

Player ratings

Villarreal: Asenjo (6), Layun (6), Gonzalez (5), Ruiz (6), Costa (5), Santiago (6) Caseres (6), Fuego (5), Chukwueze (7), Fornals (7), Cazorla (9), Moreno (6)

Subs: Ecambi (5), Bacca (6), Trigueros (n/a)

Real Madrid: Courtois (6), Carvajal (5), Ramos (6), Varane (7), Marcelo (6), Casemiro (6), Kroos (7), Modric (8), Vazquez (6), Bale (5), Benzema (7)

Subs: Isco (6), Valverde (5), Vinicius (n/a)

Man of the match: Santi Cazorla

Madrid were caught cold after four minutes as Samuel Chukwueze found Cazorla unmarked inside the box who sent a wonderful first time effort past a diving Thibaut Courtois,
Villarreal produced some poor marking of their own as Karim Benzema met a lofted pass from Lucas Vazquez just six yards out, sending Madrid level with a header on seven minutes.

Madrid players celebrate Benzema's equaliser

Team news

Santiago Solari’s Real Madrid were dealt a blow as in-form Marcos Llorente was ruled out with injury, but he had Casemiro available again and the Brazilian regained his place in central midfield.

The hosts were unable to maintain their early intensity as Madrid took control of the game through the imperious Luka Modric. Raphael Varane then completed the turnaround after meeting a Toni Kroos free-kick with a bullet header.
Gareth Bale was substituted early in the second half having struggled with a hamstring problem, and as Madrid looked to see out the game, Modric was replaced by centre-back Federico Valverde.

Bale struggles with an injury against Villarreal

When Lucas Vazquez went through on goal only to be denied by a superb save by Asenjo, Villarreal took the initiative and pressed Madrid with an intensity that they seemed unable to handle, and the returning Casemiro looked out of sorts after a two month absence.
Villarreal eventually punished their opponents' wasteful finishing and fatigue as Santi Cazorla headed in at the back post after an excellent cross from Pablo Fornals, sending their home fans wild and travelling Real supporters towards the exit.
The result means that Real stay fourth in La Liga now seven points adrift of first placed Barcelona, while Villarreal rise out of the relegation zone.

Munir agrees deal with Sevilla - report

Photo by David Aliaga/MB Media/Getty Images

Munir will walk away from Barcelona as a free agent in the summer and has already agreed a deal with Sevilla.

According to Cadena Cope, Munir rejected two contract extensions from Barcelona and has agreed a pre-contract with Pablo Machin’s side.

Apparently the 23-year-old also had offers from the Premier League and Real Betis but has decided Sevilla is where his future lies.

Munir returned to Barcelona this season after spending last campaign on loan at Alaves where he managed 14 goals in all competitions.

However, he’s once again found game time difficult to come by at the Camp Nou and has started just once in La Liga and once in the Champions League.

He’s likely to remain on the fringes for the rest of the season too, unless Barca suffer injuries in attack, and it will be little surprise to see him move on when his contract expires.

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Classy Cazorla rolls back the years as Madrid suffer new year hangover

The 34-year-old showed he still has plenty to offer with two goals and a brilliant display as the European champions started 2019 on the wrong foot

The calendar moved forward from 2018 to 2019, but Villarreal playmaker Santi Cazorla rolled back the years with two goals on Thursday night to peg back European and world champions Real Madrid.
The former Arsenal hero curled home brilliantly to break the deadlock against fourth-placed Madrid and after Santiago Solari’s side fought their way back on top, Cazorla scored a rare header to earn Villarreal a 2-2 draw on Spain’s east coast.
Cazorla is 34 but, having missed large chunks of his career because of severe injury problems, is making up for lost time back at the club he began his career.
Although it took him a few months to find his feet, two assists against Real Betis at the end of November, including a backheel, showed Cazorla still had the magic touch which saw him thrill fans in England.
And fresh from the winter break he completed the 90 minutes for only the fourth time this season against Madrid, producing two goals which ended Solari’s run of clean sheets and domestic wins at three.
Madrid had been building up steam with Marcos Llorente in defensive midfield, but an untimely injury saw Casemiro brought back into the side, and Cazorla took advantage.
With Madrid not quite yet organised, Cazorla popped up to curl home the electric Samuel Chukwueze’s pass.
To Solari’s credit, Madrid did not take long to turn the game around, with Benzema impressing up front.

Perhaps the French forward had a point to prove as rumours continue to swirl over Madrid signing a forward to replace Cristiano Ronaldo.
Benzema was in the right place at the right time to nod home the equaliser in the seventh minute, his fifth headed goal of the season in all competitions - more than any other player in Spain.
His strike partner Bale was taken off injured for the third time this season, and has been substituted due to physical problems 13 times across his career at Madrid according to Spanish football statistician Mister Chip.
The Welshman’s injury record over half-a-decade at Madrid is evidence enough that he can never be relied upon to be Real Madrid’s main man.
Yes, the forward delivers on the big occasions, but Los Blancos can never be 100 percent sure he’ll be fit enough to play in the first place.
Raphael Varane headed home in the 20th minute to turn the game around and previous Madrid sides would have made light work of Villarreal, 17th, from there.

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But even with Benzema looking lively in the middle, Madrid did not create enough in midfield to give the forward ammunition, while the Yellow Submarine worked earnestly and started to create chances to equalise.
Eventually Cazorla did, stealing in at the back post to head past Thibaut Courtois and secure a valuable point for his side. It was his first brace in La Liga for over seven years.
Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, both removed by Solari as the coach tried in vain to hamper the hosts, could still learn a thing or two from yesterday’s man.