Kylian Mbappé fired Real Madrid to a huge 2-0 away victory over Villarreal on Saturday night, striking twice after the break to lift Los Blancos back to the top of La Liga. The win takes Álvaro Arbeloa’s side to 51 points, two ahead of Barcelona, who can respond when they host bottom club Real Oviedo on Sunday.
Madrid arrived at La Cerámica with momentum building, and while the first half lacked cutting edge, the away side kept their composure, grew into the contest, and relied on their biggest star when it mattered most.
First half: few clear chances, early Villarreal setback
Villarreal began brightly and threatened down the left early on, but they suffered a blow when defender Juan Foyth went down injured and had to be replaced.
Real Madrid’s best moments before the interval came through Arda Güler and a couple of promising breaks, while Villarreal stayed dangerous on the counter—Pape Gueye went closest late in the half with a strike that drifted narrowly off target.
Second half: Mbappé finishes the job
Madrid came out sharper and made the breakthrough almost immediately after the restart. Vinícius Júnior kept the ball alive on the left, burst into the area, and the loose ball fell perfectly for Mbappé, who tucked home from close range in the 47th minute.
Villarreal pushed for a response and had their big opening when Gerard Moreno fired over from a good position, but Madrid held firm and managed the game well in the closing stages.
Deep into stoppage time, the contest was sealed when Alfonso Pedraza tripped Mbappé in the box. The Frenchman stepped up and confidently converted the penalty—reported as a clipped Panenka-style finish—to make it 2-0.
What it means
- Real Madrid: back on top of La Liga (51 pts), pressure on Barcelona to answer on Sunday.
- Villarreal: remain fourth, still in a strong position in the top-four race.
Man of the Match: Kylian Mbappé
Two second-half goals, including the decisive opener and the late penalty to kill the game—this was a classic “difference-maker” performance. Mbappé’s brace also moved his league tally to 21 goals this season.
Match stats (as reported)
- Possession: Villarreal 42% – 58% Real Madrid
- Shots: Villarreal 8 – 14 Real Madrid
- Shots on target: Villarreal 1 – 4 Real Madrid
