Villarreal 2 Real Madrid 3: Gareth Bale scores on return to starting XI as Los Blancos move top after stunning second half fightback

  Villarreal 2 (Trigueros 50', Bakambu 57') - 3 (Bale 64', Ronaldo PEN 74', Morata 83') Real Madrid

Real Madrid moved top of La Liga after making a stunning fightback against a stubborn Villarreal side, in a match marred by referee controversy. 

Zinedine Zidane's star-studded XI struggled in a match dominated by Fran Escriba's side; Villarreal have the best defensive record in the league and it showed for the majority of the game. Despite building a two goal lead, Villarreal crumbled amid a mental collapse following a debatable penalty awarded to Real.

With the score at 2-1, midfielder Bruno was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball in the box and the fall out from the Villarreal's reaction resulted in their down fall.

Goals from Trigueuros and Bakambu had given the Yellow Submarine a comfortable lead and Real's attacking trio's - the BBC - lack of defensive effort was causing all sorts of problems for their own team. Reunited for the first time in 120 days following Gareth Bale's recovery from an ankle injury, they did even less than the bare minimum of tracking back, leaving Marcelo and Dani Carvajal brutally exposed to youngster Sami Castillejo on the right wing and Adrian Lopez on the left.

Villarreal were unfortunate to go in at half time with the score at 0-0, but atrocious defending shortly after the break handed them two goals; just reward for their slick play and hard work. 

The scoreline threatene to throw a spanner in the works of Real's La Liga title pursuit and they responded by continuing to test a match tactic of getting the ball wide and crossing into the box - no matter what. It wasn't until the introduction of Isco immediately after the second Villarreal goal that it clicked and Real looked capable of getting back in the game.

Off went Casemiro and on came the Spanish midfielder. Instantly Real were a livelier, more fluid and energetic proposition entirely.

Minutes after Isco made his way onto the pitch, Bale rose at the back post to power a Marcelo cross past substitute goalkeeper Andres Fernandez, with first choice Sergio Asenjo having left the stadium to receive treatment on his knee in a local hospital after falling awkwardly while saving a Karim Benzema effort.

The momentum had shifted and Real threw bodies forward. Wave after wave of attack pinned the home side back and Toni Kroos hit a speculative, tame effort along the ground from 25 yards. It flicked off a defender and onto the chest of Bruno, who did his best to move his left arm out of the way. The whistle blew.

Vociferous protests greeted the referee's decision to award a penalty for handball from the crowd and the Villarreal bench, so incensed by the incident that some members of the coaching staff were removed to the stands. Substitute Roberto Soldado was also booked for voicing his opinions on the matter.

Ronaldo stepped up and smashed home the penalty. From then on, with Villarreal's players' heads shot, there was a sense of inevitability about the third being a matter of when and not if. Constant Real pressure finally paid off as Alvaro Morata rose in the box to head the ball down into the ground and underneath the goalkeeper.

Zidane's team had rescued the three points and remain in pole position to win La Liga. He will know better than any how fortunate they were to get there.

9:38PM

FULL TIME

Real Madrid go top after winning an incredible second half. Superb fightback from Zidane's team, so unlucky for Villarreal.

9:37PM

90 mins +4

Morata misses from six yards! It's a sitter! But he blasts it over the bar. Also, he was offside in the first place so it shouldn't have counted. Seconds left.

9:36PM

90 mins +3

Only another minute of added time to survive here now. The referee almost certainly isn't looking forward to blowing that final whistle. Villarreal looking for a way back into the game but Real are defending in numbers. Ronaldo is the only player in attack, Isco chases a hoofed ball away from Ramos and pretends to be fouled to win a free-kick... no dice! Ronaldo can play in Vasquez on the right! But his pass is blocked. What a game this has been. 

9:33PM

90 mins +1

OOOOHHHHHH that is close! Villarreal want a penalty as the ball comes off Marcelo's arm while jumping for the ball in the box. He's never trying to touch it with his arm but it comes off it and away from danger. Never a penalty. Ronaldo goes down as though shot and wins a free-kick high up the pitch. They take their time over it.

9:32PM

90 mins

And Ramos nearly makes it 4-2 with a header at the near post from a corner. He's already scored eight goals this season, which is mental. 

9:31PM

88 mins

Gareth Bale tries to shoot and is caught. He's down clutching his ankle... after kicking himself? The ground? He seems to be OK but that was a weird one. Zidane is taking no chances as Lucas Vasquez comes onto replace Bale.

9:29PM

GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLL!

THEY'VE DONE IT! WHAT A RESPONSE THIS IS!

Villarreal 2 (Trigueros 50', Bakambu 57') - 3 (Bale 64', Ronaldo PEN 74', Morata 83') Real Madrid

The crowd are outraged as what looks like a foul takes place in the middle of the park by Isco (it's never a foul FYI) and Real break. Marcelo crosses into the box and Morata heads low. The keeper spills and it slips behind him into the back of the net. Villarreal lost their heads after that penalty decision.

9:25PM

83 mins

The ball is crossed to the back post again (I'm going to just copy that sentence now so I can paste it a few more times) and Morata is there but goes down under the attention of two defenders! The referee doesn't care but that was far more of a foul than the actual penalty. Maybe that balances it out. Dunno. Anyway, Real Madrid are all over their hosts now. The passing is quicker, they're urgent, Villarreal are resorting to kicking them to win the ball back and even Ronaldo is dropping deeper to get involved.

Carvajal and Marcelo are wingers at the moment but the former cannot get a single cross past the man marking him. Isco's movement is superb.

9:22PM

80 mins

Benzema off, Morata on. Zidane is full on going for the three points and Villarreal are rattled by that refereeing decision. The ball does appear to hit Bruno on the arm but it's been fired at him from close range and he tries to get it out of the way of the ball, which comes off his chest onto the arm. If not incorrect, it's INCREDIBLY harsh.

Real's tactic of getting the ball wide and pinging crosses into the box is still the main, and only, one. Isco has made a real difference in stringing moves together in the final third. 

9:19PM

77 mins

9:18PM

GOOOOOOAAAAALLLL!

Villarreal 2 (Trigueros 50', Bakambu 57') - 2 (Bale 64', Ronaldo 74') Real Madrid

Ronaldo smashes his penalty left of the keeper with enough power to break the net. The keeper has no chance. The referee runs back to the bench to book... I think Roberto Soldado. 

9:17PM

74 mins

The Villarreal bench are furious. The referee has to book someone on the bench and the manager is incensed. You can see why - conspiracy theories aside, this is exactly the kind of decision that smaller clubs feel go against them against the big teams. Escobar has actually been sent away from his technical area. Ronaldo to take the penalty.

9:15PM

72 mins

Castijello is now having to play much deeper and Villarreal are struggling to get out of the area! Kroos takes a shot from outside the box, it comes off a defender... and it's a penalty! That must be for handball! The Villarreal bench cannot believe it! From close range the ball comes off the chest of Bruno but the referee is stood behind him and thinks it's a foul! Terrible decision!

9:12PM

70 mins

What a move this is from Real Madrid! Passes, flicks, speed, skill, movement and they're around Villarreal's final third. Costa throws himself in the way of Bale's power strike from 20 yards and goes down injured. That's almost definitely a tactical decision to waste some time and stop the flood of Real attacks overwhelming them. Modric may have picked up an injury too. 

9:09PM

67 mins

It's very nearly 2-2. Ronaldo has a shot from 20 yards but gets underneath the volley and fires it way over the bar.

9:08PM

GOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!

Villarreal 2 (Trigueros 50', Bakambu 57') - 1 (Bale 64') Real Madrid

Bale has a goal on his return! It's a great header too! Carvajal down the right, crossed into the middle and Bale is there to power his header into the back of the net for his ninth goal of the season. Game on!

9:06PM

64 mins

RONALDO HITS THE POST! This is not their night at all! The cross comes in from the right, Ronaldo adjusts his standing position and power punts the volley at goal on his left foot. It rattles off the post and off the keeper. Marcelo blazes over from 30 yards.

That Ronaldo shot would have been everywhere if it had gone in. The goalkeeper didn't have a clue what was going on.

Benzema has dropped deeper now, it might be that the wide forwards play more centrally. Benzema doesn't stick a foot in as Castillejo dances into the box and hits the side netting with a shot though... Villarreal are very dangerous on the break.

9:03PM

61 mins

 Adrian Lopez has picked up an injury which is why he's gone off.

9:02PM

59 mins

Isco on, Casemiro off. I'm not sure taking off defensive players is really the answer here - they have three of them doing **** all high up the pitch!

9:01PM

GOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!

Villarreal 2 (Trigueros 50', Bakambu 57') - 0 Real Madrid

They're two up! It's not even difficult! 

Pathetic from Real Madrid. This is really poor. It's slow, predictable and there's no sense of urgency and Villarreal cut through them with ease! Bakambu runs onto a through-ball and only has Ramos to beat. He bounces off the defender and is able to run through on goal and slot past the keeper. Awful Real Madrid defending.

8:57PM

54 mins

Honestly, I don't know what Real are playing at here. They're so lethargic! Everything is done at half the speed of Villarreal and they are outnumbered all over the pitch! This is exactly why Jose Mourinho used to get so annoyed with his wide forwards not tracking back - when you've got Bale and Ronaldo strutting around the halfway line nowhere near the play, they leave the rest of the team vulnerable. Going forward, sure, not bad, but they're losing.

8:54PM

GOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAL!

Villarreal 1 (Trigueros 50') - 0 Real Madrid

VILLARREAL TAKE THE LEAD! Real Madrid are pinned back near their own area and it takes a good minute of pressure before Bale decides to come back and try to help out. It's not enough and Castielljo knocks the ball down with his head to give Trigueros a chance to shoot on the volley. He powers it past the keeper!

8:51PM

48 mins

Villarreal have the best defensive record in La Liga this season and you can see why. Real have come for this half having made zero changes and the front three are still just strolling around near the halfway line. Benzema is the hardest working of the three and runs into the right channel to take a long ball. He hits a low cross into the box and a deflection nearly takes it into Ronaldo's path for a tap in. 

Bale comes forward down the right, cuts inside - he's in the box and tees up Benzema! It must be! But his first time finish goes straight down the middle of the goal and the keeper saves.

Asenjo has had to go to hospital to have the injury to his knee assessed, by the way. 

8:48PM

KICK-OFF 2

That went by quickly! Here we are again for the second half. What will Zinedine Zidane have done during the break to try and get his team into this one?

8:33PM

HALF TIME

Brilliant from Villarreal, Real yet to get started. Must do better. Castillejo has been terrifying Marcelo at the other end of the pitch.

8:32PM

45 mins +3

Seriously, the front three for Real need to actually start doing something. They've been useless so far and Real are finding it incredibly difficult to get forward. They win the ball, have nobody forward to pass to because they're so far away and so the wing-backs try to bring the ball forward and are closed down. Villarreal are much better organised, much more fluid and look like more of a team unit. 

8:29PM

45 mins

Villarreal have had 57% of possession here so far. Real really aren't playing very well at all... and it must be hard trying to defend with only seven outfield players. Benzema, Bale and Cronaldo don't come back past the halfway line most of the time and aren't really doing anything like a high press to win it back. Maybe they're waiting until the second half. Maybe Zidane doesn't want them to. 

8:27PM

43 mins

Real are struggling to get out of their own half in possession. They're being rushed by on running Villarreal players and clearing to nobody.  

8:24PM

40 mins

Bale appeared to be holding his leg after stretching to reach the ball... hopefully that's more a mental thing than an actual injury. Castillejo is having a great game on the right wing. He's just held off and gone past Casemiro and Marcelo, winning a corner as Ramos came out to stop him. 

8:22PM

37 mins

The sub keeper comes on, Casemiro makes a brilliant tackle (from behind) near his own box and starts the counter-attack. Carvajal is played in down the right, gets to the box and runs out of ideas. Villarreal defend so deep that Real really need to start moving around a bit up front if they want to create anything other than crosses into the box. 

8:18PM

34 mins

Asenjo has to come off. He injured his knee while saving that Benzema header and has asked to be substituted.

8:17PM

31 mins

DOS SANTOSSSSSSSSSS wide. Oof that is close. Villarreal are at it tonight! Castillejo dances past Marcelo on the right, gets wide of the box and delivers a cross which Real scramble away. The ball falls to the edge of the area and Dos Santos lines up a side foot shot but puts it just wide of the post. 

CASTILLEJO GOES CLOSE! OHHHH my word. Bale tries to dribble past one player then play the ball forward but catches the midfielder out with his early release of the ball and gives it away. The counter-attack is rapid and a cross is sent into the back post but Castillejo comes steaming in at speed and stretches, launching it over the bar.

 Villarreal are the better team here. Real look fragile.

8:12PM

28 mins

SO CLOSE BENZEMA! The goalkeeper has injured himself by colliding with the post as he dives across the goal to deny Benzema a point blank header! 

Marcelo is superb on the left wing, pulling off stepovers before sending the ball to the back post. Ronaldo and Benzema are there but the latter gets his head to it and the keeper punches away off the line.

Ronaldo runs into the channel, takes the through-ball from Marcelo and chips into the middle but nobody is there and the cross is too high anyhow.

Villarreal put a quick attack together and Dos Santos pulls the ball back across the box to try and give his forwards the chance to head it but puts too much on the pass and it comes off a forward's head and goes behind.

8:08PM

25 mins

Castijello nearly gets a lucky break of the ball and has a two on two but Marcelo recovers and halts his progress. Adrian attacks from the left, turns Carvajal inside out and bends a little chipped effort towards the top corner... but it's deflected behind for a corner and Villarreal put nearly every player in the six yard box.

It's both weird and doesn't work.

8:06PM

22 mins

Ronaldo is played into space on the left wing, does a couple of lollipops and then crosses to the goalkeeper despite having three or four teammates waiting in the box for it. 

Ramos hits a superb 50 yard pass despite slipping while executing it and Carvajal races on to it in the box. He can't find anyone with his cross... and soon after Ronaldo cant find anyone from the left again. Then Casemiro fouls to stop a counter-attack.

BENZEMA IS THROUGH! Or he would be if he weren't offside.

8:03PM

19 mins

Just to add, Navas was shoved to the floor by Gareth Bale. Navas wanted someone booked... so I'm not really sure what's going on there.

8:02PM

18 mins

Great cover from Mario as Ronaldo nearly gets on the end of a pass into the penalty area. It's really irksome to say it... but Ronaldo even two years ago would probably have won that battle.

Villarreal look good tonight though and Costa wins a corner with a decent cross from wide left which Pepe and Ramos get behind somehow. Real win a free-kick from the corner as Navas is shoved to the floor.

7:59PM

15 mins

Benzema brings the ball forward but runs directly into trouble. This is easy for Villarreal to defend - they just have to sit and wait for Real to lose patience.

But Villarreal panic in defence and Marcelo has the chance to lead a counter from inside their half. He spots Ronaldo in space in the middle and hits an early cross but it's headed away. Real keep coming forward and Bale switches to the left wing. His delivery from wide is powerful and Benzema gets his head to it... but it's wide. And also a corner apparently.

7:56PM

12 mins

Great save by Navas! This is encouraging from Villarreal! Mario, the right-back, gets forward and tries one from long range across the goal and Navas has to dive and tip it over. That was flying into the top corner! Nothing comes from the corner.

7:54PM

9 mins

Villarreal are playing some lovely passing football, stretching the play and pinging it about. They inject a bit of pace in the final third and Marcelo doesn't get rid of the ball, nearly putting his own defence in a very difficult situation.

7:51PM

6 mins

Ronaldo gets involved and tries a shot from 20 yards which is never in danger of troubling the goalkeeper. That is mostly because he's hit it about 15 yards wide of the target but let the records show that he is the first player to take a shot.

Villarreal are playing a 4-2-2-2 formation in attack and a 4-5-1 in defence and are sat deep in their own half. Real are just passing around from side to side and looking for an opening.

Bruno does superbly to track Modric's run from deep and slides in to deny a cross into the area. The keeper kicks long... and Villarreal have the ball.

7:47PM

3 mins

Bale is involved straight away, running at near full speed towards the touchline to try and keep the ball in play. He fails. It's not as dramatic as all that, it just means a throw in to the home side.

Marcelo gets into the final third and is unlucky not to win a corner.

7:45PM

KICK-OFF

Villarreal start the game, Real burst forward to press from the start.

7:45PM

BBC reunited

All three play for the first time in 120 days. Is Bale ready for 90 minutes? We're about to find out!

7:40PM

It's nearly game time

Sky Sports are showing a couple of boxers slagging each other off trying to do awful ANGRY banter at each other, just glorifying violence really, so the change to La Liga football in which skillful players opt to fall on the floor in the face of mild peril.

7:18PM

Villarreal team news

7:18PM

GARETH BALE RETURNS!

I thought he was still broken but I was wrong! Gareth Bale starts for Real Madrid tonight!

7:16PM

Preview

Hello there! What's going on?! 

Real Madrid are currently second in La Liga but can leapfrog Barcelona and go back into first if they beat the Yellow Submarine tonight.

Will it happen?

Very probably. Real Madrid are pretty good at the old soccerball and should be able to take three points away but the last time these two teams met it was a 1-1 draw...

Gareth Bale still isn't fit but Pepe should be back in the side and we'll find that out when the team news comes in!