Real Madrid secured a 2-0 victory over Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday, bouncing back from their midweek Champions League defeat. Goals from Federico Valverde and Vinicius Junior ensured Los Blancos remain unbeaten in the Spanish top flight, moving level with leaders Barcelona.
Valverde opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a deflected strike, followed by a thunderous shot from Vinicius, giving Madrid a comfortable lead. The win extends Madrid’s lead over third-placed Villarreal by four points.
However, the victory was marred by a late injury to Dani Carvajal, who was stretchered off. Kylian Mbappe, starting after recovering from a thigh injury, had a quiet night at the Santiago Bernabeu, as Real Madrid secured the win with a solid, rather than spectacular, performance.
Villarreal came close on several occasions, with Nicolas Pepe hitting the crossbar and Thierno Barry missing from close range, but they couldn’t find the breakthrough. Mbappe had one late chance, but goalkeeper Diego Conde denied him with a crucial save.
