REAL MADRID VS VILLARREAL Here we go. Ladies and Gents. The end of the Spanish season and welcome to our live-blog of Real Madrid vs Villarreal. We still don´t have a La Liga Champion... We know that the trophy is Madrid-bound, but to who??? Atletico remain favourites and will seal it with a win over Real Valladolid, but should they slip up then Real can defend their title today... We´ll get into all the permutations shortly, but this one isn´t to be missed so stay with us for all the build-up, hype and highlights ahead of KO at 17:00.
La Liga / Matchday 38
Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano / 22.05.2021
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- K. Benzema(87')
- L. Modric(90+2')
- Y. Pino(20')
Live
Live Updates
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Updated 22/05/2021 at 18:54 GMT+1
18´
ABSOLUTE DRAMA
VALLADOLID HAVE TAKEN THE LEAD AGAINST ATLETICO.
Means nothing for Real unless they can get the win, but still, the door is now WIDE OPEN!
16´
Casemiro and Modric dictating things for Real but Villarreal have so much yellow behind the ball. All 11 of them are at the back, keeping shape.
Odriozola is the threat and he gets another ball in for Benzema but the Frenchman is beaten to the header again by former Madrid man Albiol.
13´
Gutierrez and Pino are down after clashing.
Looked a little painful but nothing intentional.
UPDATES
Still 0-0 everywhere else in La Liga.
As things stand: Atletico champions.
12´
Villarreal exploiting the space in behind Real´s high line here. Los Blancos are playing with fire here because the visitors have had one or two openings that they could have and should have done better with.
Modric is kicking up a fuss now claiming foul play. Tempers rising.
9´
Villarreal have their first opportunity as Bacca finds space through the middle but Militao is quick to get the tackle in before the striker can shoot.
7´
Odriozola looks like the kind of chap you´d find knocking about Putney during the Boat Race. Pure private school hair.
Anyway, he´s looking really sharp down the right.
4´
Real being patient, keeping things cool, but have had absolutely all the possession so far.
Benzema leaps for an Odriozola cross but it´s well cleared.
2´
Of course, I´ll be bringing you updates from elsewhere in La Liga as this one plays out. Still 0-0 everywhere inside the first sixty seconds.
Real make a lightning start here and try and get up through Vinicius but Villarreal keep things tight in the opening moments.
1st Half
1´
LET´S DO THIS ONE LAST TIME
...this season. Football never actually ends.
Anyway, we´re underway!
16:57
For what it´s worth, which isn´t much because I always get this wrong, I´m going for...
Real Madrid 2-0 Villarreal
Real Valladolid 1-2 Atletico Madrid
Atletico win La Liga.
16:55
FIVE MINUTE WARNING
Madrid, how´s your nerve?
16:51
VAMOSSSSSSS
16:45
ZIDANE´S LAST HURRAH?
Zinedine Zidane has the perfect poker face and has stayed remarkably cool in recent weeks as speculation surrounds his future at the club.
This could very well be his last match in charge.
The club legend won three Champions Leagues, left, came back, won La Liga, and could win it again today. But he´s never seemed truly settled.
Perhaps he will take a break from management and we will see him knocking about Machu Picchu next year. Or maybe Tottenham?
16:37
BARCELOSERS
Whoever wins today, let´s remind ourselves who the real losers are this season.
Barcelona have outrageous debt, could lose Lionel Messi for free, will finish outside the top two for the first time in over a decade, and sold Luis Suarez to Atletico Madrid for 7 million last summer only for the striker to help them to inspire his new side to the brink of La Liga glory.
Anddddd they´re still flogging the European Super League dead horse.
Oh dear.
16:31
VILLARREAL DISTRACTED?
Real Madrid´s opponents today are no pushovers by the way...
They´re seventh in La Liga, though they do have the small matter of a Europa League final against Manchester United next week, and so their minds may be on that...
Meanwhile, Atletico are up against a relegation threatened Valldolid, but you know what they said about wounded animals...their La Liga status is on the line!
16:25
DOWN TO THE WIRE
Real Madrid are two points behind their city rivals so, simply put, if Atletico Madrid match their result today, then Diego Simeone´s men will win La Liga for the first time since 2016.
And Atletico play relegation-threatened Real Valladolid...
BUT, if Atletico draw their game and Real Madrid win leaving the two sides level on points, then the title goes to Zinedine Zidane and co thanks to their superior head-to-head record, which is how things work here in Spain as opposed to goal difference.
ANYONE´S GAME...though Atletico are big, big favourites.
16:19
VILLARREAL TEAM NEWS
16:17
REAL TEAM NEWS