La Liga Roundup: Real Madrid loses at Villarreal

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Villarreal beat Real Madrid 2-1 in a vibrant Spanish league match on Saturday earlier than Carlo Ancelotti’s facet heads to Saudi Arabia to play within the Spanish Super Cup.

Yeremy Pino put Villarreal deservedly forward within the forty seventh minute after a primary half they dominated.

A handball by Villarreal’s Juan Foyth allowed Karim Benzema to momentarily degree from the penalty spot within the sixtieth.

But one other handball, this time by Madrid defender David Alaba, despatched Gerard Moreno to take the winner for Villarreal within the 63rd.

The loss by the defending champion gave Barcelona the chance to regain sole lead of the competitors on Sunday when it visits Atletico Madrid.

Villarreal moved into fifth place because it hunts for a top-four end and a Champions League berth. The victory was an enormous enhance for Quique Setien, the previous Barcelona coach who changed Unai Emery as coach in October.

Madrid will pause league play to compete within the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia together with Barcelona, Real Betis and Valencia.

Once again in Spain, Madrid will face one other journey to Estadio de la Ceramica to play Villarreal within the Copa del Rey quarterfinals.

Madrid’s beginning 11 included no Spanish gamers. According to Opta statistics, this was the primary time Madrid didn’t have a Spaniard on the sphere at kickoff in a Spanish league recreation on this century. Other native media mentioned it was the primary time this occurred within the historical past of the membership.