Liga Report: Villarreal Hold Real At Bernabeu

Real Madrid's average form continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Villarreal at the Bernabeu.

Real found it difficult to break through a stubborn Villarreal rearguard early on, with only Roberto Carlos threatening with a couple of long-range efforts.

However, on 22 minutes the breakthrough arrived when Claude Makelele fed Zinedine Zidane who fired in spectacularly from the left side of the area.

Just seconds before the break, though, Jorge Lopez won a penalty when being fouled in the box by Makelele, and stepped up to convert himself.

The frustration continued for Real after the interval, and Benito Floro's men could even have nicked a winner when Martin Palermo's header was saved by Iker Casillas on 76.

From then on in Real dominated and Esteban Cambiasso missed a fine opportunity when firing over with the goal gaping after a Zidane shot.

Fernando Morientes then headed wide before Roberto Carlos saw a free-kick tipped onto the post by Jose Reina.