Real Madrid added its sixth victory in nine LaLiga games this Saturday against Villarreal (2-0). Two great goals from Vinicius Jr. and Federico Valverde resolved a complicated duel for the 'White House', which once again depended on the punch due to the lack of football to get three points that allow it to equal the line of FC Barcelona (21), at the Wait for what the culés do this Sunday against Alavés.

The 'merengue' team began with the lethargy that has characterized them during almost all their games this season. Carlo Ancelotti's men have collected first halfs to be forgotten and Villarreal sought to take advantage of this factor from the beginning. The visitors arrived dangerously in the white area in the 12th minute, but Barry was offside when he tried to score against Lunin. Two minutes later, Pépé was also narrowly offside after a pass filtered by Cardona.

Valverde opened the scoring with a goal from another game

The 'Yellow Submarine' was controlling the midfield very well, with Pape Gueye and Dani Parejo outplaying Luka Modric and Eduardo Camavinga, both starters this Saturday. However, Madrid managed to open the scoring in the 16th minute thanks to a powerful long-range shot from Fede Valverde. The Uruguayan controlled after a corner served by Modric and the ball ended up hitting Diego Conde as a result of a slight deflection in Álex Baena that increased the speed of the shot.

Despite the 1-0 lead, Villarreal continued to reach the rival area with ease. In the 23rd minute, Baena came very close to setting up Barry with a shot to which the French striker arrived a second late. Madrid barely created any danger again on the stroke of half-time with a very fast counterattack in which Vinicius almost assisted Kylian Mbappé, but goalkeeper Conde came out quickly to save the '9'.

 

Vinicius finished the game with another bomb in the second half

After the break, both teams returned to the field without changes. In the 54th minute there was a clear penalty by Tchouaméni on Barry, but the French striker was offside when he stepped into the area. Cuadra Fernández pointed out the foul, but overturned the decision after being warned about the offside by the VAR. Marcelino's men seemed to take control of the game, but the three changes introduced by the coach in the 68th minute (Bailly, Ilias and Yeremi Pino for Albiol, Pépé and Álex Baena) ended up slowing down the good rhythm that the yellow team was showing.

Ancelotti, for his part, removed Camavinga for Militao, advancing Tchouaméni to the center of the field. Rodrygo also entered for a missing Mbappé, inconsequential for more than 60 minutes. The change restored balance in the midfield for the 'merengues' and, in the 73rd minute, Vinicius finished the game with a powerful long-range shot. The '7' received from Valverde on the edge of the area and, with time and space, he hit a right hand directly into the corner, impossible for Conde.

The 2-0 score put an end to any hope of Villarreal's reaction, turning the last quarter of an hour into a real formality. In stoppage time, Dani Carvajal set off alarm bells in the 'White House' with an injury that looked serious. The winger tried to clear a ball, but ended up hitting Yeremi Pino. The defender came out crying on a stretcher, with notable signs of pain due to a blow to his right knee that may have kept him out for the rest of the season.

Match details: Real Madrid 2-0 Villarreal

  • Real Madrid: Lunin; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Tchouaméni, Mendy; Camavinga (Militao, min. 71), Valverde, Modric (Vázquez, min. 90), Bellingham; Mbappé (Rodrygo, m. 71) and Vinicius Jr. ((Güler, m. 79)
  • Villarreal: Conde; Femenía, Albiol (Bailly, min. 68), Coast, Cardona (Bernat, min. 85); Parejo (Terrats, min. 79), Comesaña, Gueye, Baena (Pino, min. 68); Pépé (Akhomach, min. 68) and Barry
  • Referee: Stable Fernández.
  • Incidences: corresponding Party to the Day 9 of LaLiga EA Sports 2024/25
  • Match goals: 1-0, Fede Valverde (min. 16); 2-0, Vinicius Jr. (Min. 75)