Kylian Mbappé delivered another masterclass on Saturday, scoring twice to propel Real Madrid to a 2-1 win over Villarreal, sending Los Blancos three points clear at the top of La Liga.
Madrid, still recovering from their intense Champions League battle against Atlético midweek, were unhappy with the tight scheduling. But despite their fatigue, Carlo Ancelotti’s men dug deep at the Estadio de la Cerámica to secure a crucial victory.
Villarreal struck first, with Juan Foyth smashing home from close range after a corner, putting the hosts ahead early. However, Madrid responded swiftly. Mbappé capitalized on a saved Brahim Díaz lob, calmly slotting home the equalizer in the 17th minute. Moments later, the French superstar completed his brace, expertly finishing off a Lucas Vázquez assist to notch his 20th league goal of the season—just one behind Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski.
With their lead secured, Madrid absorbed Villarreal’s pressure, with Thibaut Courtois making key saves, including a strong stop from Nicolás Pépé. Villarreal pushed for an equalizer, but Foyth wasted a golden chance, volleying over the bar. Late substitutions from Ancelotti, including Vinícius Jr. and Luka Modrić, helped Madrid regain control, while Fede Valverde and Ayoze Pérez came close to adding to the scoreline on either end.
Despite Villarreal’s late surge, Madrid held firm, extending their unbeaten run and tightening their grip on the title race. Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Mallorca edged Espanyol 2-1 with a dramatic late penalty, while Celta Vigo handed Valladolid their 20th loss of the season with a 1-0 win.
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