The Copa del Rey match between Real Madrid and Villarreal was a crucial one, as Real Madrid had a chance to advance to the quarter-finals of a competition they don’t often win. Villarreal proved to be a tough opponent, making it difficult for young players to get playing time, as opportunities were scarce.
However, coach Carlo Ancelotti did include Castilla player Vinicius Tobias on the bench, following calls from fans for his inclusion, along with Luis López and Mario Martin Martín. The starting lineup was more experienced, with Thibaut Courtois starting in goal instead of Andriy Lunin for the first cup game in a while, and substitutes such as Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio. Karim Benzema was the captain of the team.
Carlo Ancelotti may have been feeling the pressure after the recent poor performance and results of the team. Things got off to a rough start for him when Villarreal scored in the first four minutes through Étienne Capoue. Fede Valverde attempted to quickly respond but his shot went over the bar. The team’s performance was not impressive, but Ferland Mendy had a chance to improve the situation when he was one on one with the goalkeeper, but his effort was not good enough to score. Samuel Chukwueze scored Villarreal’s second goal close to the end of the first half, after receiving a great pass and finishing nicely into the top corner. Villarreal could have scored a third goal before half-time, but Thibaut Courtois saved Alberto Moreno’s effort well. The score was 2-0 at half-time.
Real Madrid had a successful second half, despite starting off slow. Vinícius Júnior scored to gain momentum for the team. Substitute Marco Asensio had a shot saved by the keeper, but soon after, Éder Militão equalized. The team continued to push forward and avoided extra time with a goal from Dani Ceballos, assisted by Asensio. Madrid was able to maintain their lead and win the game 3-2.
