"Real" Madrid's New Year for the team did not start off in the most successful way, despite a successful end to 2018 - crucial points were lost in the Spanish leagues. On Thursday, the "whites" had the opportunity to reduce the gap from the leaders "Barcos", but not only did they not take advantage of this chance, they also increased the points deficit to seven. "Villarreal" led by veteran Santi Cazorla held the European champions to a draw. The Madrid media was surprised by the match in Villareal, as "Real" simply stopped playing after the first half. Due to both missed goals, the most criticism was directed towards Marcelo, who failed to properly execute his defensive duties throughout the season. In the first episode, Marcelo lost the ball and allowed the opponent to break through to score, which gave "submarines" the advantage. The second goal, scored in the 82nd minute, also came as a result of Marcelo's lack of willingness to defend and poor communication with Sergio Ramos. "AS" newspaper wrote that "Marcelo no longer finds his true position." The Brazilian is well known for his offensive skills, but this season he seems to have forgotten about his duties as a full-back. "Marca" newspaper also criticized Lucas Vazquez's constant presence in the starting lineup: "It is obvious that Lucas is a hardworking player and sometimes can contribute, but he is not the attacking player who should play for 90 minutes in a team vying for the title, especially a team like Real." Santiago Solari also received criticism for his substitutions in the second half, raising doubts about his ability to manage a team of this caliber.
#LaPortada Para tirarse de los pelos pic.twitter.com/0df6nXHuqh
— MARCA (@marca) January 3, 2019
Pass the ball next time @Lucasvazquez91 pic.twitter.com/OwCMa6IaE9
— Abhi (@KroosEdition_) January 3, 2019
