Villarreal stage late comeback to peg back Real Madrid

Real Madrid wound down their 2017/18 La Liga campaign in typical fashion, suffering a late collapse to draw 2-2 away to Villarreal.

Goals from Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo had given Zinedine Zidane’s side a commanding 2-0 lead, with Real seemingly on course for a straightforward victory. However, Roger Martinez came off the bench to change the dynamic of the match, lashing home a right-footed finish with 19 minutes left to play.

And the home side completed the comeback when Samu Castillejo made the most of some slack defending from Marcelo to round debutant Luca Zidane in the Real Madrid goal and squeeze a finish into the empty net.

There were some positives for Real Madrid ahead of the Champions League final, with Dani Carvajal and Ronaldo both proving their fitness, but Zidane will be concerned by the manner of his side’s second half performance.

Did Isco blow his big chance to nail down a Champions League final spot? As most see it, Isco, Karim Benzema, Lucas Vazquez, Marco Asensio and Bale are all vying for the same place in the Real Madrid team to face Liverpool later this month. Zidane could pick two players from that group, but it’s difficult to envisage how Isco and Bale could play together. Tonight saw them pitted against each other. Bale scored the opener, while Isco was subbed off after an hour. Did the latter blow his chance?

Gareth Bale (Real Madrid): This was yet another audition for Bale. A few weeks ago, it was unimaginable that the Welshman would start against Liverpool in the final of the Champions League, but now he is in great form and Zidane might no choice but to start him in Kiev. This was another demonstration of what Bale can bring to Real Madrid, starting up front alongside Bale. He could be a match-winner against Liverpool.

Villarreal: Fernandez 7, Gaspar 7, Bonera 6, Gonzalez 6, Marin 6, Fornals 8, Rodri 6, Fuego 5, Soriano 6, Unal 7, Sansone 5. Subs: Salem 5, Castillejo 7, Martinez 7.

Real Madrid: Luca 6, Carvajal 6, Varane 7, Ramos 5, Marcelo 6, Kroos 6, Casemiro 6, Modric 5, Isco 5, Bale 8, Ronaldo 7. Subs: Benzema 6, Vazquez 5, Kovacic 5.

11’ - GOAL! Villarreal 0-1 Real Madrid. Great goal by Bale to open the scoring! Real Madrid took a quick freekick, with Bale's dummy creating space for the shot on the edge of the box. He reverses the shot back across goal and finds the bottom corner.

32’ - GOAL! Villarreal 0-2 Real Madrid. My word! What a goal! Isco finds Marcelo with an excellent diagonal, then Marcelo crosses into Ronaldo with the outside of his right boot and Ronaldo heads home. That was fantastic from Real Madrid.

66’ - OFF THE LINE! Ramos gets back on the line to make the clearance from Unal. The Villarreal midfielder thought he had found the net with a header after a cross from Sansone.

71’ - GOAL! Villarreal 1-2 Real Madrid. Incredible strike from Martinez, who has only been on the pitch for a minute or so! He cut inside on to his right foot and lashed a strike past Luca in the Real Madrid goal and into the top corner of the net.

85’ - GOAL! Villarreal 2-2 Real Madrid. The comeback is complete and it's shambolic defending from Real Madrid! Marcelo was caught out and Castillejo gets on the end of a pass and rounds Luca to squeeze a finish into the empty net.