Samuel Chukwueze was the star of the show as Real Madrid fell further behind rivals Barcelona following a 3-2 defeat to Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Super Eagles winger scored two brilliant goals and provided an assist, including a superb winner in the final 10 minutes.
Madrid took the lead thanks to a Pau Torres own goal, but Chukwueze equalized with a stunning individual effort where he showed superb skill to beat Madrid defender Nacho on the edge of the box before expertly dispatching his finish.
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Vinicius Junior put Madrid back in front with a fine solo run. Villarreal soon equalised as Chukwueze was on hand with a low cross into the box causing panic amongst the Madrid defenders, allowing Jose Morales to stab home.
Samu wasn’t done yet, he scored the winner with a brilliant curling effort from the edge of the box in the final 10 minutes of the game.
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Madrid thought they had a chance to salvage a point with a late penalty, but VAR overturned the decision after a review showed no contact on the alleged handball. Villarreal held on for an impressive victory, leaving Madrid at risk of falling further behind Barcelona in the title race.
Vinicius Junior was impressive for Madrid, creating chances and scoring a goal, but it wasn’t enough to prevent defeat. Chukwueze was the standout performer, showing superb skill and finishing ability to help Villarreal secure a famous win.
Madrid will need to bounce back quickly if they want to keep their title hopes alive, while Villarreal will take confidence from their performance and look to build on it in their next game.