MADRID (Reuters) - Samu Chukwueze scored twice to inflict a further blow on Real Madrid’s title hopes as they were beaten 3-2 by Villarreal at home in LaLiga despite twice taking the lead.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side had been imperious as they thrashed rivals Barcelona 4-0 at the Camp Nou in the Copa del Rey semifinals on Wednesday.
Yet they could not build on that momentum as they fell to a defeat that left them on 59 points in second place and opened the door for Barcelona to go 15 points clear at the summit if they beat Girona.
Real host Chelsea on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.
“It was a difficult game, we had chances and we could have made it 3-1 and slowed down the pace of the game, but it didn’t happen,” Ancelotti told Movistar Plus.
“We could have defended better. To be honest, it was hard for us to be 100 percent motivated, it’s quite normal.”
“We have no doubts, Wednesday is a different story. The temperature has dropped a little today, but on Wednesday it will be at full strength.”
Real took the lead after 15 minutes when Marco Asensio’s cross bounced off Villarreal’s Pau Torres and into the net for an own goal.
Villarreal found the equalizer in the 39th minute through Chukwueze, who cut inside from the center of the box and beat Nacho before firing low out of Thibaut Courtois’s reach.