Real Madrid Reclaims LaLiga Lead After 3-1 Win Over Villarreal

Real Madrid reclaims LaLiga lead following a tough 3−1 victory over Villarreal on Saturday. Vinícius Júnior delivered a sensational performance for the home side, scoring two goals. Kylian Mbappé also contributed a late strike. Consequently, Real Madrid now occupies the top spot on the LaLiga table with 21 points. They jump two points ahead of rivals Barcelona. However, the hard-fought match at the Santiago Bernabéu saw controversy and an injury scare.

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso saw his team struggle early in the match. Villarreal played a patient, defensive game, restricting scoring opportunities. Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni met a cross, but his header drifted wide of the post. Moments later, Mbappé capitalized on a defensive mistake. He squared the ball to Franco Mastantuono, whose close-range shot was deflected away by defender Renato Veiga. Meanwhile, Villarreal found chances too. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois produced a sprawling save, denying Tani Oluwaseyi in a one-on-one situation. Disappointed fans even whistled the players off the pitch at halftime.

Nevertheless, the deadlock broke immediately after the break. Vinícius Júnior collected a flick-on from Mbappé. He drove into the box and squeezed a low shot past the keeper. The ball deflected off Villarreal midfielder Santi Comesana, changing its direction significantly. The Brazilian forward clearly threatened Villarreal all evening. In the 69th minute, he scored again from the penalty spot. Defender Rafa Marin had fouled him in the box. Vinícius Junior calmly put the penalty kick past goalkeeper Arnau Tenas.

However, Villarreal quickly proved they would fight back. Four minutes after the penalty, Georges Mikautadze pulled one back for the visitors. He fired a low strike past Courtois from the edge of the box. The game’s drama continued soon after. Villarreal defender Santiago Mourino was sent off in the 77th minute. He earned a second yellow card for pulling back Vinícius Júnior. That red card immediately put the visitors at a major disadvantage. The impact was quick. Mbappé scored Real’s third goal just three minutes later. Brahim Diaz made a selfless cut-back pass, setting up the French striker perfectly.

Unfortunately, the win lost some of its shine. Mbappé limped off the field shortly after his goal. Xabi Alonso later confirmed the star forward suffered a minor ankle sprain. Rodrygo replaced him as Real Madrid successfully saw out the remainder of the match. Furthermore, young Argentine Franco Mastantuono showed impressive commitment throughout the game, assisting both offensively and defensively. Meanwhile, Fede Valverde delivered his best performance of the season at right-back, silencing recent critics. Therefore, this critical 3−1 result ensures Real Madrid reclaims LaLiga lead as the title race heats up.

Source: X/Twitter, BBC Sport, News Agencies