Overview
- Real Madrid beat Villarreal 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu to move provisionally top of La Liga ahead of Barcelona’s game at Sevilla.
- Vinicius Jr. scored his first brace since January 22, converting a penalty after a deflected opener to reach the milestone after 255 days.
- Federico Valverde excelled at right-back in the absence of Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold, earning a standing ovation from home fans.
- Villarreal’s Santiago Mouriño was sent off in the second half, and a penalty decision involving Vinicius triggered protests from the visitors’ bench.
- Head coach Xabi Alonso said Mbappé felt ankle discomfort and Mastantuono had a hamstring overload, with their national teams set to evaluate both players.