Fede Valverde and Vinicius Junior scored to see the Los Blancos claim a 2-0 win over Villarreal, La Liga match just days after their first loss since January. Following a midweek Champions League defeat to Lille in the 3-0 home loss, Madrid stumbled to its first domestic league defeat of the season away to Villarreal after being reduced to 10 men for most of the second half.
It's all change at the top with the Valverde deflected striker and Vinicius rocket splitting Villarreal’s defense and ensuring that Madrid maintained a four-point lead over the TV-toppers, who fought hard, in the Spanish capital.
They claimed victory in the wake of a freak incident that saw Dani Carvajal being carted off the field with what looked like a heavy knee injury. Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said more would be known about the severity of the injury. Vinicius was uncomfortable towards the end of the match and will have tests done.
Kylian Mbappe, who only recently came back from a thigh injury, was also included in the starting lineup but he flopped. The French striker was a complete shadow throughout the match, with only one brilliant run into the area well blocked by Villarreal’s goalkeeper Diego Conde. FC Madrid was still without Tony Kroos, who was present in the stand.
Valverde put the ball into the net in the first half when his powerful shot hit Villarreal’s Alex Baena before entering the goal in the 14th minute. He came close to scoring soon after but Villarreal put pressure and Nicolas Pepe had a header that went off the woodenwork.
In the second half, Villareal tried to force a penalty out of a challenge by Aurelien, and Tchouameni on Barry was claimed as offside. Baena also thought she scored with a free-kick shot but her effort was ruled offside and in the 73rd minute Vinicius scored a beauty from a free kick from the outside of the box.
Sto-stop differences were recorded in the match’s stoppage time when Carvajal twisted his knee as he headed back to the goal area to return the ball to the play. Valverde added that Carvajal’s health was important and added that other personalities such as Villarreal defender Raul Albiol also wished the Real Madrid defender well.
Earlier in the week Celta Vigo came from nine men to winners 1-0 at Las Palmas, Osasuna drew 1-1 at Getafe, Espanyol defeated Mallorca 2-1 while Rayo Vallecano defeated Valladolid 2-1.
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