The tale of the Yellow Submarines – Red Devils battle at the El Madrigal Estadio ended pretty much the same way as three years ago: a goalless draw and a red card characterized yesterday’s European night where both Manchester and Villareal qualified for the last 16 of the competition.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s physical influence

The game was played at a high tempo, and both performances were highly professional. The World Player of the Year-elect – Cristiano Ronaldo – was present in the starting line-up and available for the duel against Villareal’s Brazilian born captain Marcos Senna.

The Portuguese started on a very good note, using both his pace and tricks to pierce the Yellow Submarines’ defence and set up the rest of his team-mates.
Ronaldo also had a word of his own by the end of the first period after Wayne Rooney offered him a nice ball. The talismanic number 7 was inches away from breaking the heavy deadlock that had prevented Man United from scoring a real goal against Villareal in over 270 minutes; however, it was luck and capacity that prevented a change of fortunes: Cristiano Ronaldo’s firing chance from distance was impressively deflected on the crossbar by goalkeeper Diego Lopez’s fingertips.

Cristiano Ronaldo did not stop pressurizing Villareal’s defence who was very much alert and even too physical at times.

His opposite duellist, Marcos Senna, sustained an injury in the first half and subsequently asked to be substituted in the dressing room. The midfield battle without the influential Spanish skipper became easier for the Reds wearing all-blue outfits.
Ronaldo continued from where he left off at the end of the 45 minutes, playing tricky football and confusing the Submarines – who then found no other issues but committing fouls to stop the Portuguese who was not always fairly protected by the referee.

An exasperating tension to deal with

The tension in the game was already high between Ronaldo – who had to deal with provocation since the whole of the past week – and Villareal’s players: cameras caught one of them putting his fingernails in Ronaldo’s neck after the Portuguese had tried a wonderful effort.

Later on in the game, while it was obvious that Ronaldo had almost no contact on a Villareal defender as both were battling for the ball on the touch line, the referee awarded the home side a dubious free-kick. Ronaldo subsequently argued over the decision but then consented to let the free-kick take place. Agitated as he was in the whole of the game, Ronaldo corrected the linesman by placing the ball where it should have really been to take the kick; and this ironically earned him a yellow card.

All the same, Ronaldo dealt with the pressure that the home fans created and was paid back ten minutes before the end of proceedings. Capdevila’s challenge on Ronaldo’s knee was so reckless that the referee did not hesitate to show his red card.

After receiving treatment on the sidelines, Ronaldo returned to the field of play – which relieved every Man United supporter.

Neither side were able to deceive the goalkeepers; a goalless draw was all both could settle for and ultimately qualify to the next stage.

The defending European Champions still top the table with a better goal difference than Villareal and they are on poll position to retain top spot.
Manchester play Aalborg at home in their next meeting in this competition.

Written by: Angela Asante