Despite scoring four goals in the first half, Real Madrid were unable to win the game against Villarreal in their 37th La Liga encounter this season. Luckily, there was nothing significant at stake in this game so losing the two points was not too painful for the Merengues.
The first-half was nothing short of euphoric for Real Madrid fans, as they saw their team utterly dominate the Yellow Submarines, with Arda Guler, Lucas Vazquez, and Joselu all getting on the score-sheet despite Los Blancos having most of their regular starters on the bench.
But the second-half was equally filled with joy for the hosts, as Alexander Sorloth scored three goals within the first 16 minutes of kick-off, after having also scored one goal in the first-half.
Thus, it was as mixed a performance from Real Madrid as it could be, with several players shining on the pitch, and others having a night to forget. This is how the Real Madrid players fared in this match:
Andriy Lunin: 5.5
The Ukrainian returned to the starting lineup after a string of starts for Thibaut Courtois. Even though he was not really responsible for any of the goals scored by Villarreal, getting four goals past himself by the Sorloth would still have been a painful experience for him. Lunin’s chances of starting the final against Borussia Dortmund would have received a significant blow in this match.
Lucas Vazquez: 9.0
Another big game for the Spaniard as he once again showed his attacking flair. Got on the scoresheet and also provided two assists on the night.
Eder Militao: 4.0
A nightmare of a game for the Brazilian defender, who suffered a lot playing against Alexander Sorloth, and was unable to keep the Norwegian in control throughout his time on the pitch. Also could have opened the score for Villarreal as he headed the ball towards his own goal which was only kept out by a diving Lunin.
Antonio Rudiger: 6.0
Despite being Real Madrid’s best defender throughout the season, it was a below-par performance from the German. It is clear that he was having some communication problems with Militao, but still came in clutch as he kept Sorloth from adding a fifth goal to his name late in the game.
Fran Garcia: 6.0
Provided an outlet for long passes from the defense higher up the pitch, and put in some dangerous crosses, but was unable to cope with the Yellow Submarines’ attack effectively. Also lost the possession quite frequently.
Federico Valverde: 6.5
The Uruguayan showed his usual grit and stamina and covered a lot of ground in the midfield. His passing was also good, but it is clear that he is not a midfield pivot as the defense could not get too much support from him.
Dani Ceballos: 4.5
Ceballos tried to be fancy inside in his own box but lost the ball and allowed Villarreal to get their first goal in the first-half. The Spaniard made attempts to make things right with his aggressive pressing during the game, but his night was filled with avoidable mistakes.
Luka Modric: 6.5
The maestro once again played at a high level, especially when contributing to the attack with his sharp passes. One of his long shots barely missed the goal in the first half.
Arda Guler: 9.0
The Turk remains in red-hot form, continuing his scoring streak by adding another two goals to his tally. This brings his season tally to 6 goals in just 440 minutes. Additionally, he has played a crucial role in the team’s build-up play, showcasing his all-around impact on the game.
Brahim Diaz: 7.0
Although Brahim was unable to get on the score-sheet himself this time, he still provided two assists in the first half, one for Lucas Vazquez and another for Guler.
Joselu: 6.5
The veteran striker got on the end of a good Lucas Vazquez cross to add another goal to his tally this season. But was relatively quiet beyond this goal.
