Summary

  • Ronaldo penalty opens scoring, Moreno equalises

  • Real held by Villarreal and now two clear at top

  • Atletico Madrid and Sevilla draw

  • Simeone's side third, six points behind Real

  1. CLOSE!published at 21:27 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Cristiano Ronaldo will be looking right at Eric Bailly and Sergio Asenjo when they close their eyes tonight.

    He pushes the ball past and then wrestles Bailly as they duel. The Madrid man gets the better of the muscle war and closes in on Asenjo's goal but the shot is saved by the goalkeeper's legs.

    Asenjo dives on the spillage and panic over. A tussle and a half. Just like this last 20 minutes will be.

  2. What and where is Villarreal?published at 21:23 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Now we all know who Villarreal are. Champions League semi-finalists in 2006. La Liga runners-up in 2008. A former home for Manuel Pellegrini, Giuseppe Rossi and Marcos Senna.

    But where is this place? It's actually on Spain's east coast and just a short car journey north of Valencia.

    Map of SpainImage source, Google

    Only around 50,000 people live in the small city and it's trade is built on the production of ceramic tiles. It is home to four companies listed in Spain's top 500 businesses and all of them are in the ceramic tile trade.

    Probably a good few discounts there if you're doing up the bathroom...

    Ceramic tilesImage source, Getty Images
  3. GOALpublished at 21:21 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Luciano ViettoImage source, EPA

    MORENOOOOOOOOO...

    Iker Casillas dives to his left but the ball nestles in the corner. A crisp finish from 18 yards. The Villarreal striker has been impressive and he collects a cross, sets substitute Luciano Vietto who plays a return pass and bang. Get in there.

    From the edge of the box it slides off the glistening Bernabeu surface and Gerard Moreno races away to celebrate. The city of Barcelona is doing the same (unless you're and Espanyol fan).

  4. CLOSE!published at 21:19 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Ronaldo does not try to beat the wall and goes goalkeeper's side. It's a central position so he has a full view of what he's shooting at and Asenjo in the away goal can see the ball clearly. A showdown then...fizzed over.

    Again it's not a bad effort but Gareth Bale will surely be screaming to take the next one?

  5. CLOSE!published at 21:18 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Jaume Costa ghosts in at the back stick to volley left-footed at goal but he cannot hit the target and his effort from around 12 yards goes wide of Iker Casillas's near post.

    A spirited response from the visitors who are about to make changes but now face a free-kick on the edge of their own area. Marcelo was hacked down and this has Ronaldo written all over it...

  6. In a league of his own?published at 21:15 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Cristiano Ronaldo
  7. The goal machinepublished at 21:13 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Leicester City, Aston Villa, Burnley, Queens Park Rangers, Hull, West Brom. What do they all have in common?

    None of them have scored as many goals this season as Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 30 in the league.

  8. CLOSE!published at 21:12 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Cristiano Ronaldo celebratesImage source, Getty Images

    No mistake. Did you really expect one?

    In a way the nature of that penalty is a shame. It would have been nice to see Real have to probe to get the crucial breakthrough but now they can relax and do their stuff.

    Ronaldo is in again but Asenjo bravely throws himself at the striker's feet to block.

  9. GOALpublished at 21:09 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Cristiano RonaldoImage source, AP

    Sergio Asenjo in the Villarreal goal dives right but Ronald just lifts the ball the other way. An angry celebration, Ronaldo frowns as if he had a point to prove.

  10. PENALTYpublished at 21:08 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Real Madrid have a spot-kick. Cristiano Ronaldo is hugged and wrestled to the ground in the area by Eric Bailly.

  11. GREAT SAVE!published at 21:07 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Ronaldo. Step-over, onto his right peg, a low drive across goal and palmed into the six-yard box by Sergio Asenjo.

    A good save but somewhat fortunate there were no white shirts following up. It only takes one mistake and Real can hurt you. Sergio Marcos was robbed in midfield by Karim Benzema and that single error was nearly the key to the opener.

  12. KICK-OFFpublished at 21:04 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    No changes. All white v all yellow. Pitch like a snooker table. The high stands of the Bernabeu are jam-packed. Give it 25 minutes and if the score is the same, the galleries will be making their frustration known.

  13. No goals anywhere...published at 21:00 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Not a goal in any of the three big games tonight, all of them are at half-time.

    Real, Paris St-Germain v Monaco and Torino v Napoli are yet to trouble the scoreboard.

    Ezequiel Lavezzi has gone close twice for PSG, missing the target first from central in the box and then from wide, while Edinson Cavani has had an opening but could only force a save.

  14. He just can't stop...published at 20:58 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Bas Dost of WolfsburgImage source, Getty Images

    Real Madrid could do with this man - Bas Dost. He may well have the name of an old war ship, but this guy carries some serious weaponry in recent weeks.

    He continued his incredible run of form by making it 14 goals in his last nine appearances to help his side defeat Werder Bremen in an eight-goal thriller. You can read all about it here.

  15. GET INVOLVEDpublished at 20:54 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    How do you see this title race now? Will Real get the breakthrough here? Or is this Barcelona's weekend?

    Tweet us on #bbceurofooty.

  16. Tale of the halfpublished at 20:52 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Intriguing. Open. Madrid with the ball. Villarreal packing a punch too.

    Real Madrid v Villarreal
  17. HALF-TIMEpublished at 20:51 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Real Madrid v VillarrealImage source, Reuters

    This is a Villarreal side much changed from midweek. Only three players in this XI would normally make their line-up and top scorer Luciano Vietto is still to come off the bench.

    A great 45 for them all things considered then and they had the bets chance which Dani Carvajal had to head off the line.

    Are they going to do Barcelona a big favour here?

  18. CLOSE!published at 20:48 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Two minutes of added time because of Eric Bailly's treatment earlier.

    Madrid free-kick. A full 35 yards from goal. Here comes Cristiano Ronaldo. the Jonny Wilkinson run up. Claps of expectancy in the stadium. He stands, mouth wide open like a gold fish...BANG...over the bar.

    That ball was travelling and not too far away but always just too high.

  19. HITS THE WOODWORKpublished at 20:46 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    Gareth Bale has spent much of the half on the right wing and as he cannot wrap that diamond of a left peg around a cross, he chips one with his right. It floats onto the bar with the keeper scrambling.

    Close. A complete fluke for Bale. Well almost.

  20. Postpublished at 20:44 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2015

    With every second, every poor pass, every break in play, Barcelona fans grow a little taller here. This result would be huge for them.

    Just five minutes until the break. You get the feeling that if Villarreal make it to the interval with the score level they will grow in confidence. Yes they are under pressure but the door is hardly being blown down just yet.

    Marcelino's side look comfortable...