First Division - Day 4

Villarreal 0 - Real Madrid 2

Villarreal: Diego López; Ángel, Gonzalo, Godín, Capdevila; Cazorla (Jonathan Periera 76'), Bruno, Eguren, Cani (Marcano 76'); Nilmar, Rossi (Pires 65'). 4-4-2.
Madrid: Casillas; Lass, Sergio Ramos, Raúl Albiol, Marcelo; Granero, Gago, Guti (Diarrà 81'); Cristiano Ronaldo, Higuaín (Raúl 64'), Kaká (Van der Vaart 74'). 4-3-3.

Goals:
0-1. 02. Cristian Ronaldo. Picked ball up wide on halfway line and cut in to score.
0-2. 72. Kaká (penalty). After Angel blocked Marcelo's cross with arm inside area.

Yellow cards: Gonzalo 12', 34', Guti 51', Gago 60', Bruno 69', Angel 71', Lass 80' / red cards: Gonzalo 34'.

La Liga is already looking like a two-horse race again after Real Madrid beat Villarreal 0-2 on Wednesday to stay level with Barcelona at the top of the table. Cristian Ronaldo kept up his personal battle with Leo Messi, opening the scoring in the second minute of the game with a long run which ended with a low shot wide of Diego López. And things got worse for the locals when Gonzalo was sent off for a second bookable offence with over half the game remaining.

Higuaín and Ronaldo went close again before half time, and Rossi brought a good save out of Casillas at the other end soon after the restart. Angel cleared off the line from Higuain with the keeper beaten, but then Madrid were awarded a penalty when Angel cut out Marcelo's cross with his arm, and Kaká stepped up to score his first official goal for his new club.

Ronaldo tested Diego López with a free kick later on, and substitute Raúl (equalling Sanchís's record number of league appearances) put another effort over the top. Three more points for Pellegrini's side though against his old club, who drop in to the relegation zone as a result of the defeat. Pellegrini's replacement Ernesto Valverde is going to have to get his skates on if he is to have any hope of staying in the job as long as his predecessor.