Santi Cazorla's remarkable recovery from an injury nightmare was completed last night as the Spaniard score twice for Villarreal during their 2-2 draw against Real Madrid.
The result leaves Madrid in 4th place in La Liga and now seven points off Barcelona in first.
Cazorla got off the mark quickly to score his fifth La Liga goal in seven years as he slotted a gorgeous curling effort past Thibaut Courtois inside the opening five minutes.
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An unreal finish from Santi Cazorla last night, his first #LaLiga goal since 2012 ?
Whipped it round a fully stretched Thibaut Courtois ? pic.twitter.com/1y77xdoRvD
— Eleven Sports (@ElevenSports_UK) January 4, 2019
Karim Benzema equalised with a header and Raphael Varane soon gave Santi Solari's side the lead but Cazorla would have the final say as his 82th minute finish ensured a draw.
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He's only gone and done it again!! ?
Santi Cazorla equalised for Villarreal against Real Madrid in the last ten minutes of the game! ? pic.twitter.com/lWz73hocqX
— Eleven Sports (@ElevenSports_UK) January 3, 2019
It comes just three months after the former Arsenal man opened on the horror injury trouble that almost forced him to retire. In an interview with the Guardian, he spoke about having three different surgeries, an infection and a piece of his forearm on his right ankle, a piece of thigh in its place and the back of a leg in one heel.
Real Madrid lost Gareth Bale to injury during the game, something Solari felt "cost us."
There is a glimmer of hope for Madrid, who do have fixtures against Atletico and Barcelona to come in February and March respectively. However, last night's result is a further blow to their search for a title they last won in 2017.
