Football news - Gareth Bale hits brace, sees red as Madrid salvage draw at Villarreal

Zinedine Zidane handed summer signing Luka Jovic his first La Liga start, with Ferland Mendy also preferred over Marcelo at left back. But it was Villarreal who took an early lead when Gerard Moreno finished after an initial save from Thibaut Courtois to deny Karl Toko Ekambi.

The visitors restored parity on the stroke of half time, with Bale finishing from close range after good link-up play between Jovic and Dani Carvajal. From that point, it seemed that Real Madrid would tighten their grip on the match.

However, Villarreal regained the lead against the run of play after 75 minutes. Courtois made the save to keep out Gerard, but then the ball was guided back into the middle by Javier Ontiveros and Moi Gomez was on hand to finish.

Bale rescued his team again, this time lashing home a low strike at the near post to give Real Madrid a chance of claiming all three points with four minutes remaining. But the Welshman was then shown two yellow cards in two stoppage time minutes, reducing Zidane’s side to 10 men and consigning them to a disappointing draw.

One win from three games is not the start to the season Zidane was surely hoping for. It all started so well with the away win over Celta Vigo, but draws at home to Real Valladolid and away to Villarreal have heaped the pressure on the Frenchman. On the basis of what we have seen so far, it’s difficult to determine the style of play he wants to implement. Real Madrid need to come out firing following the international break.

Until the final minutes of stoppage time, the narrative of this match was clear. Not for the first time this season, Bale saved Real Madrid. Zidane will view this as two points dropped, but the damage would have been so much worse were it not for the Welsh winger he attempted to push out of the club in the summer. The late red card complicated that narrative somewhat, but Bale was still the best player on the pitch.

Villarreal - Fernandez 6, Gaspar 7, Albiol 6, Pau 5, Moreno 7, Cazorla 6, Iborra 5, Chukwueze 5, Quintilla 6, Ekambi 7, Gomez 7. Subs - Bacca 6, Ontiveros 6, Anguissa 5.

Real Madrid - Courtois 5, Carvajal 7, Ramos 5, Varane 5, Mendy 8, Kroos 6, Casemiro 5, Vazquez 6, Bale 8, Benzema 7, Jovic 5. Subs - Modric 5, Valverde 5, Vinicius 5.

11’ GOAL! Villarreal 1-0 Real Madrid: There's VAR review ongoing, but Villarreal have found the back of the net and they have the lead against Real Madrid! Ekambi had his tame shot saved by Courtois after being played through, but then Gerard is first on the scene to finish into the back of the net on the rebound.

29’ Big chance for Casemiro! That might have been an equaliser for Real Madrid. The ball was whipped in from the right wing, Fernandez got the flight wrong, but Casemiro heads wide at the back post!

45’ Off the post! Inches away from being an equaliser for Real Madrid. Carvajal launched the attack, he played the pass out to Benzema. The Frenchman unleashed a low strike, but it rattles off the base of the near post!

46’ GOAL! Villarreal 1-1 Real Madrid: It's an equaliser right on the stroke of half time! Carvajal burst into the box, played the one-two to get to the byline and then cut the pass back for Bale, who had the straightforward task of finishing into the empty net from close range. That goal was all about Carvajal!

62’ GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO... NO! Real Madrid think that they have taken the lead for a split second, with Benzema finishing from a Bale header. But the flag was up for offside. That was close, but probably correct.

75’ GOAL! Villarreal 2-1 Real Madrid: Villarreal have taken the lead again! That has come against the run of play! Courtois made a save to keep out Gerard, the ball was then guided back into the centre by Ontiveros and Gomez was on hand to turn into the net from close range! A massive goal!

86’ GOAL! Villarreal 2-2 Real Madrid: It's a late equaliser and it's a second for Bale! The Welsh winger cut inside 20 yards out and angled a low shot in at the near post. That could be a huge goal for Real Madrid now they have at least four minutes to find what would surely be a winner.

94’ SENT OFF! Can you believe it? Bale has picked up a second yellow card in the space of two minutes and he has been sent off! His boot was raised and can have no real complaints.