Vinicius Leads the Charge in Redemption Victory
Real Madrid returned to the top of the La Liga table with a commanding 3-1 win over Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday night, powered by a dazzling brace from Vinicius Junior. The win marked a crucial comeback for Los Blancos following their crushing 5-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the previous weekend’s derby.
The victory sees Real Madrid go two points clear of arch-rivals and defending champions FC Barcelona, who are set to face Sevilla on Sunday. Madrid’s performance served as a statement of intent, especially after returning from a taxing Champions League trip to Kazakhstan, where they secured a win against Kairat.
Vinicius Back in Form at the Perfect Time
The Brazilian winger was in electric form, continuing his resurgence after a sluggish start to the season. Speaking to Real Madrid TV post-match, Vinicius expressed his confidence:
“I played very well and I want to continue like this, keeping this confidence and doing even more. We have good feelings… when we come back from the international break, we have big games and we need confidence.”
Manager Xabi Alonso echoed the praise, stating, “Vini had a very good game and he was decisive. I’m very happy for him.”
Team Changes and Tactical Tweaks Pay Off
With both Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold sidelined through injury, Alonso made a bold decision to deploy Fede Valverde at right-back. Teenage sensation Franco Mastantuono nearly broke the deadlock in the first half, but his effort was blocked by Villarreal’s Renato Veiga after a clever assist from Kylian Mbappe.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, ever-reliable, kept Madrid level before the break with a crucial save against Villarreal forward Tani Oluwaseyi, who had slipped past the centre-backs.
Second Half Surge Seals the Deal
Real Madrid took control early in the second half. Vinicius opened the scoring with a deflected shot off Santi Comesana, leaving Villarreal’s keeper Arnau Tenas with no chance. Soon after, a foul by Rafa Marin on Vinicius in the box earned Madrid a penalty, which the Brazilian converted confidently, despite Tenas nearly getting a hand to it.
Interestingly, Alonso clarified that Mbappe is usually Madrid’s primary penalty taker but said, “It was their decision” to let Vinicius step up.
Bellingham Returns, Mbappe Seals It
Jude Bellingham made an appearance in the final 25 minutes, looking to make a statement after being dropped from England’s World Cup qualifying squad by Thomas Tuchel. Although he came close twice, Tenas denied him brilliantly on both occasions.
Villarreal briefly threatened a comeback when Georges Mikautadze fired in a well-placed shot from the edge of the area. However, any hopes of a comeback were extinguished when Santiago Mourino received a second yellow for a foul on Vinicius, reducing Villarreal to ten men.
Madrid made full use of their advantage. Substitute Brahim Diaz found Mbappe in space, and the French forward calmly slotted home his ninth goal of the season, making him the current La Liga top scorer.
Mbappe’s Injury Worry and Refereeing Controversy
The only concern for Madrid came late in the match as Mbappe was seen grimacing after a knock to his ankle. Alonso commented,
“Kylian already had a little discomfort in his ankle. We’ll see how it goes, but he will still travel to join up with the French national team.”
Villarreal’s Comesana voiced his frustration with some refereeing decisions:
“It’s a shame about the first goal, which hit me, and then the penalty, which wasn’t enough to be given. The red card was soft… it’s already hard enough to win at the Bernabéu, and with these things, it’s even harder.”
