Jose Mourinho can be pleased as Real Madrid achieve rare defensive feat against Villarreal

Jose Mourinho can be pleased as Real Madrid achieve rare defensive feat against Villarreal Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Villarreal will largely be remembered for Vinicius Jr.’s red card , but another detail deserves attention: Los Blancos finally produced a defensive performance capable of shutting out the opposition. The clean sheet was only Real Madrid’s second of the season , following their earlier shutout against Malaga.  With several first-choice defenders unavailable, the result offered Jose Mourinho an encouraging sign that his side can remain organised under pressure, even when circumstances turn against them. On that note, it is crucial to remember that Dean Huijsen missed the Villarreal game through suspension, while Eder Militao and Raul Asencio were sidelined by injuries.  That left Ibrahima Konate and Antonio Rudiger to form the central defensive partnership, and both delivered impressive performances to help Real Madrid protect their narrow advantage. Real Madrid’s defensive record improves Indeed, Villarreal enjoyed spells of possession but struggled to turn that control into sustained pressure around Thibaut Courtois’ goal. Real Madrid put on a strong defensive display against Villarreal. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) Notably, the visitors held close to 60% possession during the opening 15 minutes, yet play took place in Real Madrid’s defensive third for only 20% of that period.  Mourinho’s side kept its lines compact, restricted the space available to Villarreal and prevented the visitors from regularly reaching dangerous positions. That defensive structure shows Mourinho’s preference for a team that presses higher up the pitch rather than retreating towards its own penalty area. Against Villarreal, Mourinho’s men showed they could combine exactly that with the discipline needed to protect their goal. Vinicius’ red card puts Real Madrid’s resilience to the test The most demanding spell arrived after Vinicius was sent off in the 72nd minute.  Courtois was tested often after Vinicius’ sending off. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) Villarreal pushed forward in search of an equaliser, recording 74.3% possession and spending 40.3% of the final 15 minutes in the attacking third. Six of Villarreal’s 15 shots came during that closing period, forcing Courtois to make saves against efforts from Carlos Romero and Georges Mikautadze.  Real Madrid, however, survived the pressure and remained dangerous enough on the counter-attack to prevent Villarreal from committing everyone forward without risk. Furthermore, the defensive effort was also reflected in the individual duels, with Real Madrid winning 57.3% of their battles.  At this moment, the clean sheet is as valuable as the three points for Real Madrid, who still have work to do defensively, but holding on with ten men against a possession-heavy Villarreal side offers a foundation to build on.