Real: Rulli; Aritz Elustondo, Diego Reyes, Iñigo Martínez, Yuri (Héctor 80‘); Canales, Illarramendi, Granero (Xabi Prieto 57’); Carlos Vela, Agirretxe, Bruma (Jonathas 71’). 4-3-3.
Villarreal: Areola; Rukavina, Musacchio, Víctor Ruíz, Jaume Costa; Jonathan Dos Santos (Nahuel 72’), Tomás Pina (Manu Trigueros 67’), Bruno, Denis Suárez; Soldado (Samu Castillejo 80’), Bakambu. 4-4-2.
Goals:
0-1. 22. Denis Suárez. Picked up Bakambu pass and fired low shot past Rulli.
0-2. 88. Denis Suárez. Ran past Rulli to score after Bakambu headed ball on.
Yellow cards: Canales 39’, Iñigo Martínez 55’, Trigueros 74’.
Villarreal remain just a point below fourth placed Celta after they won 0-2 at Real Sociedad on Sunday. Both teams traded shots before Illarramendi gave the ball away in midfield, Denis Suárez picking up the loose ball and running on to drill a low shot past Rulli. The Basque side threw everything forward, Agirretxe volleying just wide before the interval, and after the restart Areola saving an Elustondo header, and Agirretxe, Canales and Vela all failing to find the target. However with two minutes to go Bakambu headed on a long clearance, and Suárez ran on past Rulli, well out of his area, to steer a shot into an empty net. Jonathas could have got one back at the end, but between Areloa and the woodwork the ball stayed out. This was just not Real’s night.