Real Madrid player ratings as Cristiano Ronaldo scores just 4 in defeat to Villarreal

Andy West 21:45 13/01/2018
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Ronaldo had 11 shots on goal but failed to hit the back of the net.

    Real Madrid lost more ground in the La Liga title race after Pablo Fornals’ stunning late chip secured a 1-0 victory for Villarreal at a rain-drenched Bernabeu.

    Yet another home defeat on Saturday night has piled more pressure on boss Zinedine Zidane, with Los Blancos trailing La Liga leaders Barcelona by 16 points.

    Here, we look at the player ratings from the match.

    REAL MADRID

    Navas 6. Had little to do until the winning goal, when he saved well from Unal but could do nothing to keep out Fornals’ follow-up effort.

    Carvajal 7. Constant source of attacking width down the right flank, persistent and consistent both in defence and attack. Perhaps his team’s best player on the day.

    Varane 6. Defended well and occasionally drove forward with the ball to carry possession higher up the pitch. Came up with a great interception to deny Bacca a run through on goal.

    Nacho 6. Made a perfectly-timed tackle on Bacca inside the area and defended with sharpness and vigour, but couldn’t do anything to prevent Villarreal’s late winner on the break.

    Marcelo 7. Whistled by some fans after an early misplaced pass, but an improvement on recent displays and always an attacking threat, including a thunderous long-range shot which was well saved.

    Modric 6. Buzzing performance, covering plenty of ground as he probed for openings. Sent through Ronaldo for his best first-half chance. Forced Asenjo into a low save after an hour and should have scored when he fired over the bar with 10 minutes remaining.

    Casemiro 6. More solid and reliable than many of his recent performances, defending with energy and commitment and keeping it simple in possession.

    Isco 6. Looked bright and alert as he received plenty of the ball, attempting to link midfield with attack. Played some dangerous passes into the box but was more wasteful in the second period and was taken off with 20 minutes left.

    Kroos 5. Perhaps best sums up Madrid’s current predicament: he wasn’t terrible, but clearly something isn’t quite right. Sent a couple of hopeful shots well over the top in the opening half. Came closer with a left-footed volley after the break.

    Ronaldo 4. Had plenty of chances, forcing Asenjo into two good first-half saves as well as sending two shots off target, including a dinked effort he really should have scored. Had another low shot saved early in the second but continued to be frustrated. Some of his link-up play was very poor.

    Bale 5. Initially very quiet but grew into the game and sent a curler with his right foot just wide shortly before the break. Little impact after the break and was substituted. Had a header rightly ruled out for offside.

    Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane reacts during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid and Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on January 13, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

    Yet another difficult night for Zinedine Zidane’s men.

    SUBSTITUTES

    Asensio 5. Came onto the left wing as Zidane switched to a 4-3-3 formation in the final stages but had little impact.

    Vazquez 6. Added more directness down the right flank, creating a clear chance for Modric with a neat cut-back.

    VILLARREAL

    Asenjo 9. An outstanding performance from a man Madrid just couldn’t beat. Made three excellent saves in the first-half, keeping out 25-yard piledrivers from Marcelo and Ronaldo, along with a reflex stop from Ronaldo’s close-range stab. Made some more routine saves after the break and showed solid handling throughout.

    Mario 6. Could have conceded a penalty for a challenge on Ronaldo but otherwise defended very well. Couldn’t get forward as much as usual due to the attacking threat offered by Marcelo.

    Bonera 8. Defensively excellent from the start until the 92nd minute, when he summed up his outstanding display with a brilliant stretching goalmouth clearance to deny Ronaldo.

    Alvaro 7. Got himself out of position for Ronaldo’s first chance, and later survived a penalty appeal after an inadvertent handball. Sent a headed chance from a free-kick straight at Navas. But also made some important defensive interventions.

    Costa 6. Solid in defence and constructive in possession, although he faced a stiff test from Carvajal and put his team under needless pressure with a couple of poor clearances.

    Raba 5. A quiet outing for the promising youngster on the right wing, and he was replaced at the interval by Cheryshev.

    Trigueros 6. Less influential than usual with his passing lacking its normal incisiveness, but he worked hard to contain Modric and Kroos and showed good positional sense.

    Rodri 8. The game’s outstanding outfield player. Knitted together everything for Villarreal in the centre of the field with intelligent use of the ball, and worked extremely hard defensively to support his back four. Made an astute pass to spring the counter-attack for the winner.

    Fornals 7. Played a spectacular first-half pass to release Bacca inside the box and was always looking to create, but was relatively subdued until he showed his undoubted class with a perfectly controlled chip for the winner.

    Castillejo 6. An early danger down the left but soon faded. Switched to the right wing in the second half and became more of a threat, making one excellent run to create a chance for Bacca. Replaced near the end.

    Bacca 7. Worked hard in the demanding lone frontman role. Regularly threatened to get in behind the home team defence and had a half-chance well snuffed out by Nacho in the first half. Sent a second half snapshot into the side-netting. Substituted, clearly very tired, with 15 minutes left.

    SUBSTITUTES

    Cheryshev 6. Former Madrid winger came on at the break and promptly cut inside for a great chance, but dragged it badly wide. Was quiet thereafter until making a surging run and playing a brilliant pass inside to set up the winner.

    Unal 5. Came on for Bacca near the end and squandered a great chance to score on the break…but was then hugely relieved to see Fornals convert the rebound.

    Rukavina Late introduction to shore things up at the back.

    The Yellow Submarines celebrate in the Spanish capital.

    Recommended