VILLARREAL (Spain) • Real Madrid coach Santiago Solari believes losing his star forward Gareth Bale to injury midway through his team's LaLiga match at Villarreal cost his side victory.
The European champions endured a frustrating start to the new year on Thursday as they drew 2-2 at struggling Villarreal and were left seven points behind leaders Barcelona.
"We had the victory in our hands and wanted to kill the game. But they came back and got the equaliser," Solari told Movistar.
"They pressed a lot, were playing at home and needed the points.
"Gareth leaving like that cost us as he had a problem and we missed that counter-attacking edge, and Gareth is a specialist at just that. He got a bang and felt something and was not able to continue."
Former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla gave the home side the lead in the fourth minute of the game which was rescheduled due to Real's participation in last month's Club World Cup. He bent a wonderful shot into the bottom corner of Thibaut Courtois' goal.
But Real struck back three minutes later with a headed goal from Karim Benzema.
Raphael Varane then gave the visitors the lead in the 20th but it was 34-year-old Cazorla, having overcome a terrible run of injuries to resurrect his career in Spain, who had the final say with his second goal.
Real have not won their opening away game of a new year since 2014, and Cazorla's late strike prevented them from going level on points with Sevilla, keeping them in fourth place after 17 games.
Apart from conceding early, Real were impressive in the first half but lost their grip on proceedings after Bale was substituted with a knock.
Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric, who helped set up the equaliser, followed Bale off the pitch midway through the second half and Villarreal, spurred on by their supporters, showed more intensity to regain control of the play.
Villarreal, who have reached the last 32 of the Europa League despite a dire domestic season, clawed their way out of the relegation zone to 17th in the standings, level on points with 18th-placed Athletic Bilbao.
"This result will give us strength," said Villarreal coach Luis Garcia, who has taken two points from two games since succeeding the sacked Javi Calleja.
"I imagine that every game from now on will be a battle, a war to survive. But hopefully we'll come through it, and this point gives us a big emotional boost."
REUTERS
LONDON (AFP) - Maurizio Sarri warned his Chelsea stars to improve their mentality after Willian's sublime strike sealed a hard-fought 2-1 win over struggling Newcastle on Saturday (Jan 12).. Read
Willian gem sinks Newcastle as Chelsea cement fourth place
Southampton, who ended Arsenal's 22-game unbeaten run last time out, secured consecutive league wins for the first time in 20 months and they achieved it with a dominant performance at the John
Jan 10, 2019 · José Mourinho, pictured at the Primeira Liga match between Vitória and Santa Clara in December, has ruled himself out of the Benfica job. Photograph: Rui Minderico/EPA José Mourinho has spoken
Football news- Jose Mourinho rules himself out of Benfica job
Football: 'We want Messi to always be at Barca', says club president Bartomeu. We want Messi to always be at Barca, whether that's playing on the pitch or being linked to the club (after he
We want Messi to always be at Barca, says Barca president
Blues manager hails Higuain-Hazard partnership LONDON • Maurizio Sarri has tried everything this season in a bid to solve Chelsea's scoring woes from persisting with Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata despite their slump in form to playing Eden Hazard as a "false nine".
Latest MAURIZIO SARRI | The Straits Times
Championship side Birmingham have been docked nine points for breaching financial rules, the English Football League announced on Friday. Birmingham hit with nine-point deduction after
Birmingham hit with nine-point deduction for breaching
LONDON • Unbelievable, unforgettable, unyielding. For many years to come, Liverpool fans will recall with pride what their passionate, inspired team did on Tuesday night.. Read more at
Kahoot! - Apps on Google Play
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes critics have been too quick to write off his side's chances of defending the Premier League crown,
Guardiola predicts roller-coaster title run-in after
Chelsea have struggled to replicate the swashbuckling style that earned Sarri gushing praise in his three seasons at Napoli, while relations between the Italian and a large section of match-going
Maurizio Sarri: I can avoid being sacked by Chelsea : The
Newcastle United's prospects of remaining in the Premier League were given a huge boost as Ayoze Perez's first-half header secured a crucial win against Leicester City at King Power Stadium. Salomon Rondon fired a long-range free-kick against the crossbar for the visitors in an early warning for
LONDON • Unai Emery is faced with a defensive dilemma that could make or break Arsenal's hopes of a top-four finish in their Premier League campaign. The Gunners travel to Wolves today having
Backline conundrum for Arsenal's Emery in Wolves' lair
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen