This will be one for Quiqué Setién to savour. (More Football News)
His Villarreal beat Real Madri🍨d 2-1 on Saturday in a victory that will h🍸elp rehabilitate the credentials of a coach who spent more than two years away from soccer following his short and painful stint in charge of Barcelona.
The pulsating Spanish league match at Villarreal’s remodeled Estadi𓂃o de la Cerámica could have ended with more goals, especially for the all-yellow hosts.
Gerard Moreno, who missed the W𓃲orld Cup for Spain due to injury, led Villarreal with an assi🔯st and a goal against the Spanish and European champions.
Yeremy Pino put Villarreal deservedl🌠y ahead in the 47th minute from a pass by Moreno after Ferland Mendy lost possession w🥀ith an errant pass. A handball by Villarreal's Juan Foyth allowed Karim Benzema to momentarily level from the penalty spot in the 60th.
But another handball, this time by Madrid defender David Alaba oᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒐪ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚn a pass by Foyth, sent Moreno to take the winner for Villarreal in the 63rd.
Villarreal, which held Madrid to five consecutive draws at its stadium, t🌊ook the initiative and forced Madrid's defenders into sloppy passing. Francis Coquelin hit the post with a superb shot with the back of his heel while on the turn, slicing the ball from a tight angle past Thibaut Courtois.
That pressure le🍒d to the breakthrough by Pino just after halftime.
"We played an extraordinary match against an extraordinar𒅌y team," Setién said.
"We were better in many aspects, kept the action in their half of the field and created our scoring chances. We increased our pressure because we know that if you give the𒈔m room, they can cause you problems."
The 40-year-old Pepe Reina started in Villarreal’s goal, hours after the club announced it transferred Argentine Gerónimo Rulli to Ajꦛax. Reina blocked a shot by 🐻Vinícius Júnior in Madrid’s best chance late in the first half.
Villarreal substitute Arnaut Danjuma should have tacked on a third goal on the game’s final ✱kick when Courtois was caught joining Madrid’s last-gasp attack, only for his effort to trickle wide of the unprotected net.
Setién was considered one of Spain’s brightest coaching minds before he joined Barcelona in January 2ꦆ020 for his first job with an elite club. He lasted just 🐻eight months and was let go following an 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich, Barcelona’s worst in recent memory.
The manager returned to coaching only in October when he accepted the challenge of replacing Unai Emery, who 💃left for Aston Villa following his successful run at Villarreal that in🧜cluded a Europa League title and the Champions League semifinals.
Setién had a turbulent start, drawing in his debut and losing the next three ꦐmatches. But the team started to win and is playing even better following the World Cup break. It beat Valencia in a regional derby before taking down Madrid to climb i꧋nto fifth place.
Setién, known for his attacking style, tweaked what was🔯 a successful scheme under Emery and found another way to win. Pino has moved from the right to the left side of the attack, allowing Samuel Chukwueze to play on the right and provide speed🐻 on both flanks.
Álex Baena, who is enjoying a breakout season, shifted into an interior role, while Dani Parejo has moved further back in the midfield to act ♉as its 🅺main playmaker.
"I always believed," Setién said.
"Our start w♍as not the best one. There was the shock in the club with a new coach who wants to change things even though the team is playing well. But I am a man of convictions and knew that this would work out."
The loss by Madrid gave Barcelona the opportunity to ওregain sole lead of the competition on Sunday when it visits🐬 Atlético Madrid.
Madrid will pause league play to compete in the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia along with Barcelona, Real Betis﷽ and Valencia. Once back in Spain, Madrid will face another trip to Villarreal in the Copa del Rey ꧋quarterfinals.
Madrid coach Carlo An꧑celotti called o♊n his defense to play better.
“We didn’t defend like we want to, we left too many spaces between our lines,” Ancelotti said. “We hav🦂e to interpret the moments of the game better. Now we have to🧔 focus on the Super Cup.”
Madrid’s starting 11 included no Spanish players. According to Opta statistics, this was the first time Madrid did not have a Spaniard on the field at kickoff in a Spanish league game in this century. Other local media said it was the first time this occurred in the history of the club.
OTHER RESULTS
A stoppage-time header by Abdón Prats snatched Mallorca a 1-0 win at home over Valladolid, while Girona drew 2-2 at 💮Espanyol.
