Real played a very open game tonight – that is to say, they gave a dangerous Villareal team lots of opportunities, and were quite lucky to get away with a 3-2 home win. Robinho, who has been in blinding form this season, started things off in the 8th minute with a gem of a goal created by a superb Guti pass – a genuine ‘defence splitter’. The ‘yellow submarine’ (Villareal’s nickname) equalised a mere seven minutes later – the first goal Casillas had conceded in 574 minutes of league action. 1-1 at half time. It was Robinho who again grabbed the lead for Real, Sergio Ramos racing half the length of the field before laying the ball off to Raul, whose first-time shot was superbly stopped one-handed by Lopez, the ball rebounding to Guti whose shot was again blocked by Lopez, but who couldn’t make a third save as Robinho coolly slotted home right into the corner. Again Villareal bounced back, a 76th minute goal drawing things level, only for substitute Schneider to blast what was to be the winner only a minute or so later. Both keepers played excellently tonight – the 3-2 scoreline does not reflect how well they defended their goals – and this was the second game in a row where Casillas has proved to be the match winner for Real.
Meanwhile Atleti slumped to a tame 0-1 away loss at Mallorca, a team who are proving troublesome to both Madrid teams this season, and Reyes got sent off. He shook the referees hand before he left the pitch as a tacit admission that he deserved the red card. This was the Colchoneros first away loss since October 7th (versus Barcelona).
With second-placed Barca drawing with Athletic Bilbao earlier in the evening, Real’s victory means that the reigning champions are now nine points clear at the top of La Liga, while Atleti stayed in 4th position, some 16 points behind the all-whites.
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