Vinicius Jr showcased his brilliance by scoring two goals, leading Real Madrid to a decisive 3-1 victory over a ten-man Villarreal on Saturday. This triumph not only marked an impressive performance for the Brazilian forward but also allowed Madrid to reclaim the top position in La Liga, albeit with a cloud of concern hanging over the team’s star player, Kylian Mbappe, who suffered an ankle injury late in the match.
Real Madrid now sits at the summit of the La Liga standings with 21 points, two points ahead of Barcelona, who are set to face Sevilla on Sunday. Villarreal currently holds third place with 16 points, maintaining a strong position despite this setback.
The match began with both teams vying for control but it wasn’t long before Real Madrid began to assert their dominance as the first half progressed. Aurelien Tchouameni nearly opened the scoring with a header that just skimmed past the post. Shortly thereafter, Mbappe intercepted a misplaced pass from the Villarreal defense and set up Franco Mastantuono for a shot that was heroically deflected over the bar by defender Renato Veiga.
Villarreal had their opportunities as well, with Tani Oluwaseyi breaking into the box and finding himself one-on-one with Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who made a fantastic save to keep the score level.
The breakthrough for Real Madrid came shortly after the halftime break. Vinicius Jr picked up the ball near the left byline, skillfully maneuvered into the box, and unleashed a shot from a tight angle that took a deflection off Villarreal midfielder Santi Comesana, finding the back of the net.
Vinicius added his second goal from the penalty spot in the 69th minute after being fouled by Rafa Marin, with his shot just managing to slip beneath Villarreal goalkeeper Arnau Tenas. However, Villarreal responded just four minutes later when Georges Mikautadze struck from the edge of the box, narrowing the deficit and reigniting hope for the visitors.
The match took a pivotal turn in the 77th minute when Villarreal’s Santiago Mourino received a second yellow card for a foul on Vinicius, leaving his team a man down as they sought to level the score. This gave Real Madrid the upper hand, and they capitalized just three minutes later when Mbappe scored their third goal after a slick assist from Brahim Diaz, sealing the victory for the home side.
Unfortunately, the elation was short-lived for Madrid fans as Mbappe went down with an ankle injury shortly after his goal, leading to his substitution for Rodrygo. The severity of the injury remains unclear, and Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso confirmed that the team will assess Mbappe’s condition in the coming days.
As fans celebrate Vinicius Jr’s standout performance, they are left anxiously awaiting news on Mbappe’s fitness, knowing how crucial the French star is to their campaign. While Real Madrid continues to shine in La Liga, the health of their key players will play a significant role in their pursuit of glory this season.
