Bayern Munich 3 – CF Villarreal 1

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Holland World Cup winger ARJEN ROBBEN of Bayern Munich (right), in the Bavarians’ Startelf for a second consecutive game after missing nearly a full two months due to a lack of fitness, and visiting CF Villarreal defender JOAN ORIOL both eye the ball during the UEFA Champions League Group A match at the sold-out Allianz Arena in southern Germany.
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November 22, 2011
UEFA Champions League
Group A, Matchday # 5

3 – BAYERN MUNICH (Ger) ———— Ribery 3′, 69′, Gomez 23′
1 – CF VILLARREAL (Spa) —————- de Guzman 50′

The dominant hosts were quite happy to take full advantage of both defensive errors in addition to their own good fortune as current German Bundesliga leaders BAYERN MUNICH easily swept aside visiting Spanish La Liga side CF VILLARREAL 3-1 and clinched first place in Group A of the UEFA Champions League with still yet one more round remaining to be contested.

Germany international TONI KROOS, restored to the role of central attacking midfielder in the Bayern Munich formation, intercepted a very poor pass out of the back by the CF Villarreal defense and played a marvelous ball into space for back-in-form France World Cup winger FRANCK RIBERY, who deftly chipped CF Villarreal’s advancing goalkeeper DIEGO LOPEZ to put the hosts ahead with less than three full minutes having come off the clock.

The record German champions, who would, utlimately, outshoot CF Villarreal 15-7 over the whole contest, added a second goal in the 23rd minute but not without a bit of luck. Ukraine international midfielder ANATOLI TYMOSHCHUK, still in search of a goal after sixteen appearances for Bayern Munich in all competitions this term, launched a long drive from well outside the area which smashed sharply off the post but rebounded right to Germany international striker MARIO GOMEZ. The Bundesliga’s leading scorer did not waste such a gift and steered the ball into the net to register his seventh goal in the Champions League and 21st goal, overall, this season.

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With an assailant from the Yellow Submarine leaping over top, Germany World Cup goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER of Bayern Munich smothers the ball as the Bavarians’ Belgium international defender DANIEL VAN BUYTEN (5) provides cover during the UEFA Champions League Group A match at the Allianz Arena.
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Despite the absence of their leading goal-scorer in La Liga last season, Italy international striker GIUSEPPE ROSSI, as well as the club’s top shot from the year before, Brazil international striker NILMAR, the guests were determined to give it their all. Spain international midfielder BORJA VALERO and Paraguay international midfielder HERNAN PEREZ each tested Bayern Munich’s World Cup goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER shortly before the halftime. And, five minutes after the break, CF Villarreal managed to halve the deficit.

Defender JOAN ORIOL initiated a counterattack for the Yellow Submarine by stealing the ball in his own third and embarking on a long run down the left flank. A well-flighted cross for midfielder JONATHAN DE GUZMAN over on the right was met with a fabulous volley from the former Holland U-21 international that left Neuer no chance. But that was as close as the Spanish side would come.

Another careless ball in the defensive third by CF Villarreal afforded Gomez possession far too easily. Soon Kroos, who had been shifted to defensive midfield for the ill-fated Borussia Dortmund match in the Bundesliga a few days prior, picked out Ribery once more with yet another fine pass. And the in-form Frenchman, who had recorded six goals in the German top flight but none in Europe heading into the game, strolled effortlessly around the 30-year-old veteran Lopez to raise the count to 3-1 in the 69th minute.

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With Germany international defender JEROME BOATENG (17) looking on, France World Cup winger FRANCK RIBERY of Bayern Munich goes airborne to volley an attempt at goal as CF Villarreal’s Spain international defender ANGEL LOPEZ (6) looks to intervene during the UEFA Champions League Group A match at the sold-out Allianz Arena in Bavaria.
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BAYERN MUNICH : Neuer – Rafinha, Boateng, van Buyten, Lahm – Tymoshchuk, Alaba – Robben (Olic 76′), Kroos, Ribery (Pranjic 81′) – Gomez (Mueller 72′)

CF VILLARREAL : Diego Lopez – Gaspar, Marchena, Musacchio, Oriol – Soriano, A. Lopez (Marcos Senna 70′) – de Guzman (Wakaso 63), Perez – Valero (Joselu 78′) – Ruben

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CF Villarreal 0 – Bayern Munich 2

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Unbeknownst to a focused Germany World Cup midfielder BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER, the 27-year-old who has won 89 international caps in his career, flying in with the reckless challenge from behind is CF Villarreal’s Spain World Cup reserve defender CARLOS MARCHENA, the 32-year-old veteran who has collected 69 caps for his country, during the UEFA Champions League Group A match at the Estadio El Madrigal.
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September 14, 2011
UEFA Champions League
Group A, Matchday # 1

0 – CF VILLARREAL (Spa)
2 – BAYERN MUNICH (Ger) ——— Kroos 7′, Rafinha 76′

A well-taken goal just seven minutes into the match and rock-solid defensive play thereafter propelled visiting German Bundesliga side and four-time European champion BAYERN MUNICH to an important 2-0 victory over Spanish La Liga host CF VILLARREAL on the first day of play for Group A in the UEFA Champions League.

France World Cup winger FRANCK RIBERY, who scored two goals and added an assist for Bayern Munich in the big Bundesliga win over SC Freiburg this past Saturday, made another penetrating run on the left flank and expertly pulled the ball back for Germany World Cup reserve midfielder TONI KROOS to clinically stroke first time into the far corner before even seven minutes had expired.

The 21-year-old’s goal marked a first this season in any competition for Bayern Munich and arrives eight days after the developing Kroos had shot his first-ever international goal for Deutschland from the penalty spot in the friendly against Poland.

Bayern Munich were forced to bring off veteran Belgium international defender DANIEL VAN BUYTEN due to injury in the 23rd minute, but this did not ruin the Bavarians’ rythmn in any way at either end. CF Villarreal made attempts to get back into the game but were unable to breach a Bayern wall that has now extended its consecutive shutout streak to seven contests. Italy international striker GIUSEPPE “Jersey Joe” ROSSI and fullback MARIO GASPAR had the best efforts for El Submarino Amarillo but were thwarted by Bayern Munich’s Germany World Cup goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER.

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Highly-experienced Ukraine international ANATOLI TYMOSHCHUK of Bayern Munich, the valuable 32-year-old midfielder who has made 109 appearances for his country in his career, slide tackles the ball away from rugged CF Villarreal midfielder BRUNO SORIANO (21) during the UEFA Champions League Group A match at the Estadio El Madrigal.
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There was little doubt which side controlled the match as evidenced the 12-4 disparity Bayern Munich enjoyed in the attempts-at-goal department. The Bavarians did even better in the on-target category with a 7-2 ratio, according to the official site of the UEFA Champions League. This despite Bayern trainer JUPP HEYNCKES’ decision to replace Germany international striker MARIO GOMEZ, he of seven goals from his last two Bundesliga games, at the half.

The substitute for Gomez off the bench, NILS PETERSEN, was involved in some good opportunities for Bayern Munich in the second half. But last season’s top goal-scorer in the 2.Bundesliga was stopped twice by a diving CF Villarreal goalkeeper DIEGO LOPEZ. And Kroos, latching onto a ball from Petersen, was extremely unlucky to not add a second goal after striking the proverbial woodwork at the back post.

Brazil international defender RAFINHA shot a second goal for Bayern Munich with less than a quarter of an hour to play. The 26-year-old summer signing from Italian Serie A side CF Genoa sent on after van Buyten was bitten by the injury bug put the ball between the legs of his marker, Yellow Submarine midfielder BRUNO SORIANO, and then blasted right through Lopez. The brilliant individual strike should be a memorable first goal at Bayern Munich for the talented right back.

Full points on the road in Spain is certainly a fine way for the German club to begin a new UEFA Champions League group stage campaign.

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In-form France World Cup winger FRANCK RIBERY of Bayern Munich, who scored two of the Bavarians’ first three goals in the 7-0 blowout of SC Freiburg in the Bundesliga over the weekend, prepares to race past CF Villarreal right back MARIO GASPAR (14) during the UEFA Champions League Group A match at the Estadio Madrigal on the Mediterranean coast of eastern Spain.
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CF VILLARREAL : Diego Lopez – Gaspar, Zapata, Musacchio, Catala – Marchena – Marcos Senna (Cani 46′), Soriano – de Guzman (Camunas 72′) – Nilmar (Ruben 58′), Rossi

BAYERN MUNICH : Neuer – Boateng, van Buyten (Rafinha 23′), Badstuber, Lahm – Tymoshchuk, Schweinsteiger – Mueller, Kroos (Luiz Gustavo 81′), Ribery – Gomez (Petersen 46′)

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Yellow Submarine Suffers Direct Hit

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United States World Cup striker JOZY ALTIDORE of visiting Spanish side CF Villarreal seeks to avoid the challenge of GNK Dinamo Zagreb’s Portugal international defender TONEL (28) during the UEFA Europa League Group D match last September at the Stadion Maksimir in Croatia.
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Major League Soccer pocketed a milestone $ 10.0 million dollar (7.4 million Euro) transfer fee with the sale of promising New York Red Bulls striker JOZY ALTIDORE to Spanish La Liga side CF Villarreal in June of 2008. This was more than double the previous record amount M.L.S. had ever received after London-based English Premier League club Fulham Athletic forked over $ 4.0 million dollars for two-time United States World Cup midfielder Clint Dempsey of the New England Revolution in January of 2007. However, unlike M.L.S. executives across the Atlantic Ocean in North America, the leadership of the Yellow Submarine in Spain had significantly less to smile about in the end.

Altidore was still just 18 years of age when arriving on the east coast of the Mediterranean to test his mettle in the highly-regarded Spanish first division. Competition for a place at CF Villarreal was fierce with the likes of another native American born in New Jersey, productive Italy international striker GIUSEPPE ROSSI, as well as veteran Turkey international goal-scorer NIHAT KHAVECI and two-time Mexico World Cup forward GUILLERMO FRANCO also on the books. But the ambitious and historic Altidore did manage to become the first United States international to score a goal in La Liga with a strike against Athletic Bilbao in November of 2008.

The success was short-lived, however, as Altidore made just six appearances, the majority as a substitute, in La Liga for the Yellow Submarine over the first half of the 2008-09 season before being sent out on loan for the remainder of the campaign to second division CD Xerez in Jerez de la Frontera. There, in part due to an injury, the American never saw the field and returned to CF Villarreal in the summer of 2009. With an eye on the upcoming FIFA World Cup to be held in South Africa the following summer and the thought of regular first team football firmly in mind, Altidore agreed to go out on loan once again for the 2009-10 campaign.

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JOZY ALTIDORE was still a few months shy of his 17th birthday when the native of Livingston, New Jersey, made his professional debut with the New York Red Bulls in late August of 2006 and scored his first goal in Major League Soccer just a few weeks later; altogether, Altidore scored 15 goals in 37 M.L.S. matches over parts of three seasons before his record-breaking transfer to Spanish La Liga side CF Villarreal in the summer of 2008.
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Altidore joined Hull City with the Premier League side retaining an option to purchase at the end of the season for a transfer fee of 6.5 million English pounds ($ 11.0 million dollars). Still shy of his 20th birthday, the United States international striker bagged his first goal in the League Cup a few days after making his debut in Great Britain. But Altidore struggled with his finishing all season long, though, and had to wait until February to register his first tally for Hull City in the Premiership.

Altidore scored just one goal in 28 English Premier League games while Hull City were relegated and, thus, the option was never exercised. After appearing in every match for the United States at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the still-developing attacker returned yet again to the Yellow Submarine to start last term. Although Altidore did appear in seven UEFA Europa League matches, the American made just three substitute appearances in La Liga over the first half of last season and counted no goals in any competition for El Submarino Amarillo.

And so, Altidore finished last term playing in Turkey with KD Bursaspor where the by-now well-traveled striker scored one goal in a dozen Super Lig games.

CF Villarreal decided to go in a different direction this summer and sold the underachieving Altdiore to Dutch Eredivisie side AZ 67 Alkmaar for the modest transfer fee of 1.4 million Euros — this represented the significant loss of 6.0 million Euros for a Spanish football club not traditionally known for its financial strength.

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21-year-old United States World Cup striker JOZY ALTIDORE, who has already earned 41 caps and scored 12 goals for his country, has enjoyed a fine start to his career with AZ 67 Alkmaar having promptly shot three goals in his first five Dutch league games and added another pair of strikes in as many UEFA Europa League matches since a summer transfer from Spanish La Liga side CF Villarreal.

Spieler Bericht : CF Villarreal 2011/12

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American-born Italy international striker GIUSEPPE ROSSI (22), who was secured by the Yellow Submarine from English Premier League club Manchester United in exchange for a reported transfer fee of 10.0 million Euros in the summer of 2007, paced CF Villarreal with 18 goals in La Liga last season and tallied another 11 goals in 15 UEFA Europa League matches to finish as the second-leading scorer in that competition, as well.
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Spanish La Liga side CF VILLARREAL are in possession of some attacking prowess to be respected starting with Italy international striker GIUSEPPE ROSSI. The 24-year-old native of Teaneck, New Jersey, scored two of the Yellow Submarine’s goals in the decisive 3-0 victory over visiting Danish side BK Odense in the return leg of the UEFA Champions League playoff tie earlier this season. Rossi, who already has earned 26 caps and scored six goals for Italy, also dispatched a first half penalty for CF Villarreal in the 2-2 La Liga draw with FC Sevilla this past Saturday.

Brazil World Cup reserve striker NILMAR is another to be reckoned with. The 27-year-old, who has scored nine goals on 24 appearances for his country in his career, was second on the club with 11 goals in La Liga and also added seven goals in Europe last season. Nilmar starts his third campaign of Spanish football after transferring from Brazilian side SC Internacional of Porto Alegre for the fee of 10.0 million Euros in the summer of 2009.

24-year-old striker MARCO RUBEN, who netted five times in La Liga last season, recorded a goal on his international debut for Argentina this past June and also scored this over the weekend against FC Sevilla; is another option up front available to El Submarino Amarillo trainer JUAN CARLOS GARRIDO.

Nigeria international striker IKECHUKWU UCHE was signed this summer from Real Zaragoza in return for 5.0 million Euros but has since been sent out on loan for the season to newly-promoted CF Granada.

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CF Villarreal midfielder Ruben Gracia Calmache, the 30-year-old former Real Zaragoza veteran better known as CANI (10) who tied for third on the club with five goals in La Liga last season, runs through the tackle of Real Zaragoza’s Uruguay international defender CARLOS DIOGO during the La Liga match last April at the Estadio El Madrigal in Vila-real.
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CF Villarreal sold off playmaking Spain international SANTI CARZORLA, the little winger who scored five goals and set up 10 others last season, to Andalusian club CF Malaga for the pricey fee of 21.0 million Euros this summer.

Spain international BORJA VERLO, the one-time Real Madrid B midfielder who set a club record for newly-promoted English Premier League side West Bromwich Albion with a 7.0 million Euro transfer from Real Mallorca in the summer of 2008, is one regular from last season who returns as defensive midfielder BRUNO SORIANO, the 27-year-old who has been with CF Villarreal since his youth team days.

32-year-old CARLOS MARCHENA, who has appeared at the last two UEFA European Championships and FIFA World Cup tournaments, respectively, while winning 69 caps and scoring two goals for Spain, provides CF Villarreal a wealth of experience in midfield or on the backline.

The Yellow Submarine did add Canadian-born former Holland U-21 international JONATHAN DE GUZMAN from Real Mallorca in exchange for 8.0 milion Euros, but the 23-year-old midfielder has made just one substitute appearance for El Subamarino Amarillo thus far; another off-season acquisition in midfield is 31-year-old veteran JAVIER CAMUNAS, who was purchased from Osasuna Pamplona for a more modest 2.35 million Euros.

Finding it hard to get a game in midfield for CF Villarreal so far this season has been 35-year-old Brazilian-born Spain international and long-time club servant MARCOS SENNA while also scrambling for playing time from the trainer, as well, are 22-year-old Paraguay international HERNAN PEREZ and 21-year-old Ghana youth international WAKASO MUBARAK.

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Colombia international defender CARLOS ZAPATA (12) of Spanish side CF Villarreal, who made 168 Serie A appearances in six seasons with Italian club Udinese Calcio, looks to avoid the challenge of BK Odense’s France international fullback BERNARD MENDY (22) during the UEFA Champions League second leg playoff match at the Estadio El Madrigal in the provence of Castellon on the eastern Mediterranean coast of Spain.
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Spain international and CF Villarreal first choice DIEGO LOPEZ was shown the red card early in the La Liga match with FC Sevilla last Saturday, but that should have no bearing on the UEFA Champions League match with visiting Bayern Munich; the well-traveled 40-year-old Spain international CESAR SANCHEZ was signed this summer from CF Valencia as cover.

The Yellow Submarine splashed out 9.0 million Euros and signed Colombia international defender CRISTIAN ZAPATA from Italian Serie A side Udinese Calcio to bolster the backline this summer and help replace JOAN CAPDEVILA, the 33-year-old experienced international with 60 caps for Spain who has left for Portuguese giant Benfica of Lisbon.

21-year-old Argentina international center back MATEO MUSACCHIO is an emerging asset for CF Villarreal while being mentored and partnered at the back by 27-year-old compatriot GONZALO RODRIGUEZ, who has won six caps for Argentina in his career.

The left back to start this 2011-12 campaign has been 24-year-old JOAN ORIOL, a graduate of the B team who started once and made five appearances in La Liga last term. In the wake of the heavy 5-0 defeat to FC Barcelona in the La Liga opener, Spain U-21 international MARIO GASPAR made his season debut at right back against FC Sevilla last Saturday. 30-year-old veteran right back ANGEL LOPEZ, who the former Las Palmas and Celta de Vigo player has won five caps for Spain in his career, tore his ACL last January and has yet to appear since.

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CF Villarreal goalkeeper DIEGO LOPEZ (13), the 29-year-old one-time Real Madrid shot-stopper who has appeared exactly once as a substitute for the national team of Spain in his career, smothers the ball at the feet of Spain international striker SERGIO GARCIA (19) of RCD Espanyol Barcelona during the La Liga match last January at the Estadi Cornella El Prat.
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CF VILLARREAL

arriving
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gk – CESAR Sanchez ————————————– fr CF Valencia
df – Cristian ZAPATA – Colombia int’l ———– fr Udinese Calcio (Ita)
df – Ivan MARCANO ————————————– fr CF Getafe
mf – Borja VALERO – Spain int’l ——————— fr West Bromwich (Eng)
mf – Javier CAMUNAS ———————————– fr CA Osasuna Pamplona
mf – CRISTOBAL Marquez —————————– fr CF Elche
mf – Jefferson MONTERO – Ecuador int’l —— fr UD Levante
mf – Jonathan DE GUZMAN – Holland ———– fr Real Mallorca
fw – Ikechukwu UCHE – Nigeria int’l ————– fr Real Zaragoza

(Valero was on loan at CF Villarreal all of last season; Marcano had been out on loan all last season, Cristobal and Montero had been out on loan since January)

departing
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gk – XAVI Oliva ——————————————— released
gk – JUAN CARLOS ————————————— to CF Elche
df – Joan CAPDEVILA – Spain int’l —————- to Benfica Lisbon (Port)
df – CICINHO – Brazil int’l —————————– to AS Roma (Ita)
df – Ivan MARCANO ————————————– to FC Olympiakos Piraeus (Gre)
mf – CRISTOBAL Marquez —————————– to FC Karpaty Lviv (Ukr)
mf – Santi CARVOLA – Spain int’l ——————- to CF Malaga
mf – Jefferson MONTERO – Ecuador int’l —— to Real Betis
mf – Javier MATILLA ————————————- to Real Betis
fw – Ikechukwu UCHE – Nigeria int’l ————– to CF Granada
fw – Jozy ALTIDORE – United States int’l ——- to AZ 67 Alkmaar (Hol)

(Cicinho had been out on loan since January to CF Villarreal from Italian Serie A side AS Roma; Marcano, Montero and Uche are all out on loan for the 2011-12 season)

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Bayer Leverkusen 2 – CF Villarreal 3

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Germany international midfielder and Bayer Leverkusen captain SIMON ROLFES (center) looks to squeeze between the CF Villarreal defensive pair of Spain international midfielder BRUNO SORIANO (left) and Argentine center back MATEO MUSACCHIO at the BayArena in North Rhine-Westphalia. (Patrik Stollarz/AFP)
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UEFA Europa League
Round of 16, first leg
3/10/2011

2 – Bayer Leverkusen (GER) ———— Kadlec 33′, Castro 72′
3 – CF Villarreal (SPA) ——————— Rossi 42′, Nilmar 70′, 90+4′

A very late goal fourth minutes into time added on allowed visiting Spanish La Liga side CF VILLARREAL to upend German Bundesliga club BAYER LEVERKUSEN 3-2 in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League knockout round of 16 tie.

Brazil international striker NILMAR, who has netted 11 goals in 22 La Liga games this season, scored twice after coming on as a second half substitute to greatly aid the Yellow Submarine’s sinking of the Werkself; CF Villarreal, currently fourth in the Spanish top flight this term, only managed four attempts at goal for the match but got all of them on target and scored three times..

Bayer Leverkusen, the second place team in the German first division, had more than twice as many shots for the game but, nevertheless, saw its ten-game unbeaten streak in Europe this campaign snapped by the visitors; trainer JUPP HEYNCKES, who steered Real Madrid to the UEFA Champions League title in 1998, and his charges now face an uphill battle for the return leg in Spain next week.

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Czech Republic international fullback MICHAL KADLEC (24) steps into steal the ball away from CF Villarreal midfielder BORJA VALERO (20), who spent all last season out on loan at Real Mallorca from English outfit West Bromwich Albion, at the BayArena in western Germany. (Juergen Schwarz/DAPD)
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BAYER LEVERKUSEN : Adler – Vida, Schwaab, Reinartz, Kadlec – Vidal, Rolfes (Bender 89′) – Sam (Jorgensen 76′), Renato Augusto, Castro – Derdiyok (Kiessling 46′)

CF VILLARREAL : Lopez – Mario, Gonzalo, Marchena, Catala – Valero, Musacchio, Bruno, Wakaso (Cazorla 61′) – Ruben (Oriol 84′), Rossi (Nilmar 69′)

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(Frank Augstein/AP)
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(Martin Meissner/AP)
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(Frank Augstein/AP)
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(Martin Meissner/AP)

Real Madrid 4 – CF Villarreal 2

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France international striker KARIM BENZEMA of Real Madrid, whose personal goal drought in the Primera Division continues unabated, attempts to split the CF Villarreal defensive pair of JOSE MANUEL CATALA (15) and Argentina international GONZALO RODRIGUEZ, wearing the blue captain’s armband, at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in the capital city of Spain. (Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
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LA LIGA
Matchday # 18
1/09/2010

4 – Real Madrid ——————- Ronaldo 9′, 45′, 79′, Kaka 82′
2 – CF Villarreal ——————– Cani 7′, Ruben 18′

The YELLOW SUBMARINE arrived in the Spanish capital intent on sinking LOS BLANCOS’ mighty ship skippered by the Portuguese master JOSE MOURINHO and certainly did record a pair of damaging, direct hits …… but a hat trick from the first mate and an insurance goal from a highly-skilled player returning from injury propelled REAL MADRID to a 4-2 victory over visiting CF VILLARREAL in an exciting La Liga encounter.

CANI (Ruben Gracia Calmache), who was purchased for a transfer fee of 11.0 million Euros from Real Zaragoza in the summer of 2006, sent CF Villarreal to the lead in only the seventh minute will a clever, early touch past Real Madrid’s advancing World Cup champion goalkeeper IKER CASILLAS.

Real Madrid, howver, required just a couple of minutes to respond. France international striker KARIM BENZEMA released Germany World Cup midfielder MESUT OEZIL in the box on the right. The 22-year-old playmaker, who leads Los Merengues in assists this season, then squared a perfect ball for Portugal World Cup striker CRISTIANO RONALDO to sweep into the gaping, unguarded goal.

But, the Yellow Submarine was on a determined mission to torpedo the home unbeaten streak of Los Blancos under the stewardship of Mourinho.

Argentine striker MARCO RUBEN, bought from famous Buenos Aires club River Plate for $ 7.0 million U.S. dollars in January of 2008, was sent in clear with a lovely ball from Spain international midfielder BRUNO; with the highly-experienced Casillas caught way off his line, the 24-year-old striker cooly floated a chip into the far corner and restored CF Villarreal’s lead in the 18th minute.

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CF Villarreal midfielder BRUNO (21), who made his senior international debut for Spain in the 1-1 draw with Mexico this past August, looks to play the ball with Real Madrid’s playmaking Germany World Cup midfielder MESUT OEZIL on his back at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. (Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
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Just before the halftime whistle, though, Real Madrid, once again, leveled the match; slack marking on a set piece by the CF Villarreal defense allowed Ronaldo to run into the box and head home the free kick of Spain World Cup champion midfielder XABI ALONSO.

The Real Madrid manager was never going to be satisfied with the draw, though. Visiting CF Villarreal — the third place team in the Spanish top flight — withdrew the striker, Ruben, in favor of a defender, the Argentina youth international MATEO MUSACCHIO, five mintues past the hour. In direct contrast, the capital city club threw caution to the wind and brought on Brazil World Cup attacking midfielder KAKA in exchange for the Spain World Cup reserve defender RAUL ALBIOL.

The world’s most expensive player justified the manager’s faith in the attack with the clock approaching ten minutes to play.

Spain international goalkeeper DIEGO LOPEZ, who spent two seasons with Los Blancos’ reserve side Castilla and another pair at Real Madrid as Casillas’ deputy before transferring to CF Villarreal for 6.0 million Euros in the summer of 2007, failed to secure a ball played into the box by Kaka and set the stage for Ronaldo to score the winner for Mourinho’s squad after a scramble in front.

Just three minutes later, Kaka slammed the door shut on the Yellow Submarine. Having already bagged three goals himself, the Portugal World Cup striker squared a ball for the returning Brazil World Cup midfielder to one-time past a hapless CF Villarreal shot-stopper. Kaka’s strike was, of course, the 28-year-old’s first goal of the 2010-11 season for Real Madrid, who remain second in La Liga two points behind the leaders, FC Barcelona.

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Brazil World Cup midfielder KAKA (8), on just his second appearance for Real Madrid in La Liga this 2010-11 season after a long spell out recovering from knee surgery, is tracked by CF Villarreal captain and Argentina international defender GONZALO RODRIGUEZ (2) at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in the capital city of Spain. (Pedro Armestre/AFP/Getty Images)
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REAL MADRID : Casillas ; Marcelo, Carvalho, Albiol (Kaka 70′), Sergio Ramos ; L. Diarra (Khedira 46′), Xabi Alonso, Oezil ; Di Maria, Benzema (Gago 81′), Ronaldo

CF VILLARREAL : Diego Lopez ; Capdevila, Catala, Gonazlo, Angel (Mario 62′) ; Cazorla, Bruno, Valero, Cani (Oriol 73′) ; Ruben (Musacchio 65′), Rossi

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