Real Madrid secured a vital 3-1 home win against Villarreal, reclaiming the top spot in La Liga and bouncing back from their recent derby defeat. 

The match was tied 0-0 at halftime, but star forward Vinicius Junior exploded in the second half, scoring two goals, including a penalty, after an impressive performance. 

After a brief scare when Villarreal scored, Kylian Mbappé netted the final goal to seal the win against a 10-man Villarreal side, though the French star later had to leave the game with an ankle injury. 

The victory puts Real Madrid in a strong position atop the table as the league heads into the international break.

The match, played on matchday eight of the 2025-26 La Liga season, was a tightly contested affair in the first half. 

Madrid struggled to penetrate a solid Villarreal defense, with their best chances—including a shot from new signing Franco Mastantuono following a pass from Mbappe—either blocked or going wide. 

At the other end, Villarreal forward Tani Oluwaseyi was denied by a superb save from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in a one-on-one situation, keeping the score level at 0-0 heading into the break.

The second half began with immediate drama as Vinicius Junior found the net just two minutes after the restart. 

The Brazilian cut in from the left, and his low shot took a fortunate deflection off Villarreal midfielder Santi Comesaña before flying past goalkeeper Arnau Tenas.

Vinicius doubled his tally from the penalty spot in the 69th minute. 

After being brought down in the box by Rafa Marin, the forward converted the penalty, with his shot just squeezing under the diving Tenas. 

Vinicius was noted to have put in a stellar individual performance, leading the team with five shots and creating six chances. 

“I played very well, and I want to continue like this, keeping this confidence,” Vinicius told Real Madrid TV after the match.

Villarreal, who had been holding their own against the league leaders, managed to pull a goal back four minutes after the penalty. 

Georgian striker Georges Mikautadze scored with a powerful low strike from the edge of the box, injecting brief hope into the contest.

However, the tide decisively turned in the 77th minute when Villarreal defender Santiago Mouriño was shown a second yellow card and sent off for a foul on Vinicius. 

Playing with a man advantage, Real Madrid quickly restored their two-goal cushion.

Kylian Mbappé scored Madrid’s third goal in the 81st minute, finishing off a slick move initiated by Brahim Diaz. 

The goal marked Mbappé’s ninth consecutive game with a goal for Real Madrid. 

Unfortunately for the French star, the final minutes saw the only negative note for Madrid as Mbappé went down clutching his right ankle shortly after his goal. 

He was immediately substituted for Rodrygo and walked off unassisted, going straight down the tunnel. 

Coach Xabi Alonso confirmed the injury was an ankle sprain but was hopeful: “Kylian already had a little discomfort in his ankle; we will see how it goes,” he said.

The victory was a vital display of strength for Xabi Alonso, who was managing his team after a midweek Champions League fixture. 

Alonso made notable selection choices, including starting Dani Ceballos and leaving Jude Bellingham on the bench for the second consecutive league game after the 5-2 loss to Atlético.

The starting lineup saw the return of Éder Militão from injury and Álvaro Carreras at left-back, with Dani Ceballos partnering Aurélien Tchouaméni in midfield and Arda Güler operating in an advanced role behind the front three of Vinicius, Mbappé, and Mastantuono.

The hard-fought win puts Madrid in a strong position atop the La Liga table as the league heads into the international break. 

Vinicius’s return to form, combined with Mbappé’s continued goal-scoring prowess, offers a strong foundation for Alonso’s side to build upon as they look to maintain their challenge for the Spanish title.