The match between Real Madrid and its host Villarreal, which the first lost 1-2, in the 16th round of the Spanish Football League, witnessed an unprecedented historical incident in the history of the "royal" club.

As the Italian Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid coach, relied on 11 foreign players in his starting line-up, without the participation of any Spanish player, which is unprecedented in the club’s history that spans more than 121 years.

Real Madrid squad without Spaniards

Ancelotti started the match in a 4-3-3 manner, as the Belgian, Thibaut Courtois, placed the goalkeeper, and in front of him were 4 defenders, namely, the Brazilian Eder Militao, the German Antonio Rudiger, the Austrian David Alaba, and the French Ferland Mendy.

As for the midfield trio, it consists of German Toni Kroos, young Frenchman Aurelien Chawamini, and veteran Croatian Luka Modric.

As for the lead trio, they were the Uruguayan Federico Valverde, the French Karim Benzema, and the Brazilian Vinicius Junior.

📋✅ Royal squad for today's match 🆚 @Arab_Villarreal!

#VillarrealRealMadrid pic.twitter.com/y3l720nOOa

- Real Madrid (@realmadridarab) January 7, 2023

And the Spanish newspaper "Marca" stated that Real Madrid had never started a match with a squad devoid of Spanish players, throughout the history of the club, which was founded in 1902.

The newspaper pointed out that Real Madrid played 4435 games throughout its history before the Villarreal match, in which the Spanish players were not absent from the starting line-up.

The Spaniards Dani Carvajal and Marco Asensio started the Real Madrid match against Valladolid in the last round, but they did not participate against Villarreal.

Carvajal was absent from the "royal" club due to injury, while Asensio was not in the starting line-up, because Ancelotti preferred Valverde over him, to be next to Benzema and Vinicius in the attack.

In the 64th minute of the match, Ancelotti made two substitutions, including the payment of Spaniard Lucas Vazquez, who replaced Tchoamini.

And he sat on the bench of Real Madrid's substitutes Asensio, Dani Ceballos, Nacho, Jesus Vallejo and Luis Lopez.

Real Madrid previously started a match with a squad that included Spanish players, but ended it without any Spanish player on one occasion, and it was in the group stage of the European Champions League for the 2021-2022 season.

On September 28, 2021, Real Madrid ended its match against Sheriff Tiraspol, which it also lost 1-2, without Spanish players.

And when the referee blew the final whistle, Courtois, Rodrigo, Militao, Alaba, Kroos, Modric, Valverde, Camavinga, Luka Jovic, Vinicius, Benzema were on the field.

Real Madrid lost to Villarreal

Real Madrid suffered its second loss in the Spanish League this season, after it fell to Villarreal at the “La Ceramica” stadium.

FINAL #VillarrealRealMadrid 2-1

¡El @VillarrealCF will be part of #LaLigaSantander!

pic.twitter.com/KjA8cVwfmr

- LaLiga (@LaLiga) January 7, 2023

Premier Pino Villarreal put him in front two minutes after the start of the second half, before Karim Benzema equalized for Real Madrid from a penalty kick in the 59th minute, but the landlords regained their lead from a second penalty kick that Gerard Moreno successfully executed.

With this result, Real Madrid's balance froze at 38 points, which kept it in second place behind Barcelona on goal difference, while Villarreal reached the 27th point, which raised it to fifth place temporarily.