The whistle for the official start of the match sounded, and the entire stadium instantly erupted.
Real Madrid and Villarreal players quickly engaged in fierce competition, with every tackle full of gunpowder.
In terms of team lineup, Real Madrid had to let their second-choice goalkeeper, Casilla, replace Navas due to his injury.
Although Casilla had relatively less experience, he showed excellent goalkeeping skills and reaction speed, becoming an important part of the team's defense.
On the backline, the central defensive partnership was Ramos and Varane.
Both players are world-class defenders, and their defensive and heading abilities are outstanding.
Under their leadership, Real Madrid's defense was impenetrable, making it difficult for opponents to break through.
Both full-backs were from Brazil, namely Marcelo and Danilo.
Marcelo is known for his excellent defensive and assist abilities, while Danilo is a solid, extremely fast full-back.
Their presence made Real Madrid's wing defense more stable and also provided more options for the team's offense.
In the midfield, James Rodríguez, Kroos, and Kovacic formed a powerful trident.
They all possess excellent passing and ball control abilities, capable of controlling the rhythm of the game and providing strong support for the team's offense and defense.
The front line featured the famous BBC Trio—Bale, Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
These three players are world-class forwards, and their speed, technique, and shooting abilities are outstanding.
Under their leadership, Real Madrid's offense was like a destructive force, making it difficult for opponents to resist.
On the field, Villarreal opted for the 5-4-1 formation they had been practicing all week, a formation that emphasizes defense and stability while also being able to launch effective counterattacks at the right moment.
Colombian forward Sansone played as the lone striker, becoming Villarreal's only cutting edge on the front line, while in midfield, captain Bruno Soriano, Dos Santos, Trigueros, and N'Diaye started.
Their passing and off-the-ball movement were excellent, allowing them to create more attacking opportunities for the team.
In the goalkeeper position, Villarreal sent out their number one goalkeeper, Asenjo.
Asenjo is an experienced goalkeeper, and his reaction speed and goalkeeping skills are excellent, making him an important guarantee for the team's defense.
In the defensive partnership, Lin Feng started alongside Pau Torres and Ruiz.
As the core of the team's defense, Lin Feng's defensive and heading abilities were outstanding, defusing the opponent's attacks multiple times in the match.
Pau Torres and Ruiz were the defensive mainstays of the team, and their stability and tacit agreement made the team's defense even more solid.
Shortly after the match began, Real Madrid demonstrated their strong dominance.
Toni Kroos stood at the core of the midfield, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's, constantly observing the situation on the field.
The moment an opponent showed a slight lapse in concentration, he would quickly penetrate the defense with a long pass, creating attacking opportunities for the team.
His passes were like precise missiles, always accurately finding his teammates' feet.
At the same time, James Rodríguez displayed his unique charm on the wing.
He skillfully weaved through opponents, sometimes breaking through the defense, sometimes delivering exquisite passes, keeping opponents on their toes.
His long-range shooting ability was even more astonishing, with a powerful shot that left Villarreal's goal shaking.
In the 13th minute of the match, Real Madrid's attack surged forward like a tide.
Gareth Bale received a superb pass from Toni Kroos, and the lightning-fast winger chose not to stop the ball but instead, with an almost dance-like movement, cleverly evaded Trigueros, who was defending him, with a touch and go.
His movements were fluid and continuous, as if he were performing a beautiful piece of music.
Immediately after, Bale burst forward with an acceleration, like a flash of lightning, leaving the covering Pau Torres behind.
Although Pau Torres reacted quickly, he still couldn't stop Bale's progress.
At this moment, the entire stadium seemed to fall silent, and all eyes were focused on the Welsh winger.
Just when everyone thought Bale would be through on goal, Lin Feng suddenly burst out like a black lightning bolt.
He accurately judged Bale's attacking route and, with a beautiful sliding tackle, precisely cleared the ball out of bounds.
What a clean and beautiful tackle!
Gareth Bale's breakthrough undoubtedly sent shivers down the spines of Villarreal's players.
They deeply felt the unparalleled strength of the BBC Trio—Bale, Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
This attacking combination of three world-class forwards, every move they made was enough to strike fear into their opponents.
In the 23rd minute of the match, the situation on the field suddenly changed.
Benzema suddenly dropped back to midfield and received a pass from his teammate.
He didn't seek individual glory but immediately turned his attention to Toni Kroos on the sideline.
His passing motion was fluid and precise, like an experienced conductor, accurately finding Toni Kroos's run.
Upon receiving the ball, Toni Kroos immediately demonstrated his excellent vision and passing technique.
He leaned back slightly, adjusted the angle and power of the pass, and then, with all his might, sent the ball towards Cristiano Ronaldo in the penalty area.
This long pass was like a precise missile, accurately traversing the field and finding Cristiano Ronaldo's head.
Lurking in the penalty area, Cristiano Ronaldo's muscles were tensed, like a leopard about to pounce.
His sharp gaze was fixed on the incoming ball, calculating the best time to jump.
At that moment, he leaped up like a spring, his entire body tracing an elegant arc in the air.
At the same time, Villarreal's defender Lin Feng also realized the danger, and he tried his best to jump to prevent Cristiano Ronaldo's shot.
However, Cristiano Ronaldo's astonishing jumping ability left him far behind.
Cristiano Ronaldo's head almost touched Lin Feng's head, but the Portugal superstar, relying on his excellent core strength, managed to push his body upwards and powerfully headed the ball towards the goal with a strong header.
The ball, like a cannonball, carrying Cristiano Ronaldo's determination and power, whistled towards the goal.
Villarreal's goalkeeper, though reacting quickly, could only watch helplessly as the ball flew past his fingertips and slammed into the corner of the goal.
"GOAL!"
With the excited shouts of the live commentator, the entire stadium instantly erupted.
Real Madrid fans cheered wildly, ecstatic over Cristiano Ronaldo's spectacular header goal.
Villarreal's players, on the other hand, could only shake their heads and sigh in resignation, knowing full well that they had fallen too far behind in this match.
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T/N: Although I'm an inexperienced Editor, I do have a Patreon account! Although it seems like I don't have many supporters right now, my webnovel will be released in full every day, and the advanced chapters will be uploaded to Patreon.
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