Real Madrid's Struggle and Triumph Against Villarreal
With a tone of urgency, Carlo Ancelotti declared, “This is the last time Real Madrid will play without at least 72 hours of rest.” Following a comeback victory over Villarreal, the Italian manager addressed the press, praising his players for turning the tide despite fatigue from their arduous Champions League clash. After a dramatic penalty shootout in the return derby of the round of 16 lasting deep into Thursday morning, merely 65 hours had passed before they took to the pitch again. Ancelotti remarked, “This squad possesses something unique: character and commitment. While the players can’t always push through, I have occasionally found myself frustrated. But today, we owe them our gratitude for their tremendous effort since January 3. I believe this was the final occasion we played with less than 72 hours of recovery. We’ll never do this again.”
On the pitch, prior to Ancelotti’s firm stance, Real Madrid faced a stern challenge from the Yellow Submarine. At the Ceramics Stadium in Villarreal, Marcelino’s men took an early lead with a goal from Foyth in the 7th minute. It required a brace from Kylian Mbappé to overturn the deficit and help Real reclaim their position at the top of the table, now sitting on 60 points after 28 matches. They hold a four-point advantage over Atlético and three ahead of Barcelona, who are set to face off against each other tomorrow evening at the Metropolitano in Madrid. The Catalans also have a fixture in hand, needing to reschedule their match against Osasuna from last week.
