Real Madrid break a 4,435 match record by fielding a starting XI WITHOUT a Spanish player

Real Madrid broke a 4,435-match record in their to defeat to Villarreal on Saturday by naming a starting line-up without a single Spanish player for the first time in the club’s history. 

The Spanish giants succumb to a Gerard Moreno winner in the 2-1 defeat, when the Spanish star converted a spot-kick after David Alaba had been penalised for handling in the area. 

It came just minutes after Real had got themselves back in the game with a penalty of their own, after Yeremy Pino had given Villarreal a 1-0 half time lead. Juan Foyth’s controversial handball was punished, as Karim Benzema briefly levelled for Madrid. 

Real Madrid named a starting line-up without a Spanish player for the first time in their history

However, the game was notable for the European champions’ starting eleven. As for the first time in its history it failed to feature a single Spanish player. 

Instead Carlo Ancelotti picked a team that saw three Frenchmen (Aurelien Tchouameni, Ferland Mendy and Karim Benzema), two Brazilians (Vinicius Junior and Eder Militao), two Germans (Antonio Rudiger and Toni Kroos), a Croatian (Luka Modric), an Austrian (David Alaba), a Uruguayan (Federico Valverde) and Belgian Thibaut Courtois in goal. 

While there were six Spanish players on the bench- Lucas Vazquez, Marco Asensio, Dani Ceballos, Nacho Fernandez, Jesus Vallejo and Luis Lopez – none of them made the starting line-up, breaking a run of 4,435 matches. 

Gerard Moreno scored the winner for Villarreal from the penalty spot to see his side win 2-1 

Karim Benzema had briefly got his club back into the game by levelling the scores from the spot in the second half 

Asensio and Vazquez did make an appearance as substitutes, but it’s a defeat that leaves them second in the La Liga table behind Barcelona on goal difference – with the Catalans in action today against Atletico Madrid. 

The club came close to ending the record-breaking run last season, when they finished their Champions League clash with FC Sheriff Tiraspol without a Spanish player on the pitch.

Real ended the game with a line-up of Courtois, Rodrygo Goes , Militao, Alaba, Kroos, Modric, Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Luka Jovic, Vinicius and Benzema. However, Nacho and Miguel Gutierrez did start in the shock 2-1 defeat.  

For Villarreal, the impressive victory over the Spanish giants moves them up to fifth place in La Liga, thanks to a fifth consecutive win in all competitions for Quique Setien’s side. 

Carlo Ancelott’s non-Spanish starting XI went down to a 2-1 defeat to Villarreal on Saturday