Real Madrid 1-1 Villarreal

Real Madrid have failed to win two of their last four league games

• Real Madrid's lead at the top just two points
• Real travel to Barca on 22 March
• Villarreal keep alive Champions League hopes

Real Madrid's hopes of securing a first La Liga title since 2012 suffered a setback as they were held 1-1 by Villarreal at the Bernabeu Stadium.

Carlo Ancelotti's leaders looked to be heading four points clear at the top of the table after Cristiano Ronaldo's ninth league penalty of the season.

It was awarded after Ronaldo was bundled over by Eric Bailly.

But Villarreal hit back through Gerard Moreno, the 22-year-old beating Iker Casillas with a low shot from 18-yards.

Real had started the game with a slender one-point lead at the summit after Barcelona's workmanlike 3-1 win at Granada on Saturday.

Yet while they extended their lead to two points, Ancelotti will consider this a wasted opportunity to keep some distance from Barca, who they visit on 22 March.

Real had 25 shots yet were fortunate in the end not to have suffered a defeat.

Real Madrid hit 17 shots off target, more than any other team in a La Liga game this season

Villarreal's leading scorer Luciano Vietto found himself clean through on goal in the 77th minute before losing his footing just as he prepared to shoot.

It is first time Real have dropped points at home in the league since they were beaten by neighbours and defending champions Atletico Madrid 2-1 on 13 September.

But Real have only themselves to blame after spurning a string of chances.

Ronaldo's penalty took his tally to 30 goals in the league this season, yet the Portuguese should have been celebrating his fifth hat-trick of the term.

He was frustrated by Sergio Asenjo, the Villarreal keeper producing a string of fine saves including one flying stop to keep out Ronaldo's 71st-minute header.

In a thrilling end to the game, Real substitute Jese wasted a great chance before Vietto was denied a dramatic Villarreal winner when Casillas kept out his glancing header.

The visitors survived strong claims for a late penalty following Bailly's challenge on substitute Javier Hernandez.

But Villarreal, who move one point behind fifth-placed Sevilla, were full value for their point.

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored more penalty goals than any other La Liga player in the last 10 seasons

Cristiano Ronaldo scored for the third straight game

Villarreal picked up their first point at the Bernabeu Stadium since 2006

Gareth Bale has failed to score in his last seven Real Madrid appearances

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Real Madrid

• 1Casillas
• 15CarvajalBooked at 76mins
• 3PepeBooked at 89mins
• 2Varane
• 12Marcelo
• 11Bale
• 16BorgesSubstituted forRodríguez Ruizat 72'minutes
• 8Kroos
• 23IscoSubstituted forIllarramendiat 78'minutes
• 9BenzemaSubstituted forHernándezat 81'minutes
• 7Cristiano Ronaldo

Substitutes

• 5da Silva Coentrão
• 13Navas
• 14Hernández
• 17Arbeloa
• 18Nacho
• 20Rodríguez Ruiz
• 24Illarramendi

Villarreal

• 1AsenjoBooked at 79mins
• 2Perez Martinez
• 24BaillyBooked at 51mins
• 16Dorado Ramírez
• 18Costa JordáBooked at 70mins
• 10Campbell
• 4PinaSubstituted forTrigueros Muñozat 61'minutesBooked at 87mins
• 26Marcos GonzálezSubstituted forJ dos Santosat 68'minutes
• 19Gómez BardonadoBooked at 37mins
• 23Moreno Balagueró
• 9G dos SantosSubstituted forViettoat 62'minutes

Substitutes

• 5Musacchio
• 6J dos Santos
• 7Vietto
• 8Uche
• 14Trigueros Muñoz
• 15Ruiz
• 25Sánchez Martínez

Referee:

José Luis González González

Attendance:

71,000

Match Stats

Home TeamReal MadridAway TeamVillarreal

Possession

Home62%

Away38%

Shots

Home25

Away9

Shots on Target

Home7

Away4

Corners

Home10

Away4

Fouls

Home7

Away20

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Real Madrid 1, Villarreal 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+4'

Second Half ends, Real Madrid 1, Villarreal 1.

Posted at 90'+3'

Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Jaume Costa.

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt missed. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) header from the right side of the six yard box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Marcelo with a cross.

Posted at 90'+1'

Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Sergio Asenjo.

Posted at 90'

Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Eric Bailly.

Booking

Posted at 89'

Pepe (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 88'

Foul by Gareth Bale (Real Madrid).

Posted at 88'

Jaume Costa (Villarreal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 88'

Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Manu Trigueros.

Booking

Posted at 87'

Manu Trigueros (Villarreal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 87'

Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 87'

Foul by Manu Trigueros (Villarreal).

Posted at 86'

Attempt saved. Luciano Vietto (Villarreal) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Gerard Moreno with a cross.

Posted at 84'

Attempt missed. Jesé (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right.

Posted at 83'

Marcelo (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 83'

Foul by Joel Campbell (Villarreal).

Substitution

Posted at 81'

Substitution, Real Madrid. Javier Hernández replaces Karim Benzema.

Posted at 80'

Attempt missed. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Gareth Bale.

Posted at 79'

Pepe (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 79'

Foul by Moi Gómez (Villarreal).

Booking

Posted at 79'

Sergio Asenjo (Villarreal) is shown the yellow card.

Substitution

Posted at 78'

Substitution, Real Madrid. Asier Illarramendi replaces Isco.

Booking

Posted at 76'

Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 76'

Foul by Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid).

Posted at 76'

Gerard Moreno (Villarreal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 75'

Attempt saved. Jesé (Real Madrid) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Cristiano Ronaldo.

Posted at 75'

Attempt missed. Joel Campbell (Villarreal) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Manu Trigueros.

Substitution

Posted at 72'

Substitution, Real Madrid. Jesé replaces Lucas Silva.

Posted at 72'

Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Sergio Asenjo.

Posted at 71'

Attempt saved. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Gareth Bale with a cross.

Posted at 70'

Attempt missed. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Toni Kroos with a cross following a set piece situation.

Booking

Posted at 70'

Jaume Costa (Villarreal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 69'

Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 69'

Jaume Costa (Villarreal).

Posted at 69'

Attempt saved. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Isco.

Substitution

Posted at 68'

Substitution, Villarreal. Jonathan dos Santos replaces Sergio Marcos.

Posted at 68'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Posted at 67'

Delay in match Marcelo (Real Madrid) because of an injury.

Posted at 67'

Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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