Real madrid again fails to beat a big team

Benitez side lose 1-0 to villarreal on sunday to continue an impotent trend which has also seen it as a drop point to barcelona and Atletico.Things looked to be on the up. Madrid had strung together five straight wins since losing the Clasico at home to Barcelona last month, but Benitez side came unstuck again as soon as it faced another top team. After hitting eight past modest Malmo, Los Blancos were impotent in the 1-0 loss at villarreal.
It was a below-par performance Sunday - just as it had been in such games all season. Rafa's Real was embarrassingly beaten by Barca, could only draw against Atletico and also has lost to Sevilla and now Villarreal too. His team has been found out against the best - a lucky win at home to Paris Saint-Germain aside - and is now five points off the pace in La Liga.

Benitez's men started slowly at El Madrigal, found themselves behind after just nine minutes to a Roberto Soldado strike and were off the pace for the entire first half. And even though they were much better at the start of the second, poor finishing cost them. Madrid was playing catch-up and created chances through sheer intensity - but still seemed to lack ideas, and the soccer was underwhelming.