Mbappe double sends Real Madrid top of LALIGA after Villarreal comeback

Real Madrid moved above FC Barcelona to the summit of LALIGA after Kylian Mbappe scored twice in a 2-1 comeback victory over Villarreal on Saturday evening.

The result also saw Mbappe reach the 30-goal mark, reinforcing his importance to the reigning champions as they continued their title challenge.

Real Madrid had been involved in a nerve-wracking penalty shoot-out victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League before travelling to face Villarreal. Manager Carlo Ancelotti responded by making four changes to his starting line-up, with Fran Garcia, Aurelien Tchouameni, Lucas Vazquez and Brahim Diaz brought into the side.

Despite those alterations, Real were caught cold in the seventh minute. Villarreal won possession from a corner and Juan Foyth reacted quickest to the loose ball, finishing from close range to give the hosts an early lead.

Real Madrid required only a short time to restore parity. Around the quarter-hour mark, goalkeeper Diego Conde could not hold the initial effort and Mbappe was alert enough to seize on the rebound and make it 1-1.

The France captain completed the turnaround later in the first half. Vazquez supplied a cutback into the penalty area, where Mbappe had peeled away from his marker before driving the ball into the top corner.

That second goal gave Real greater control, although Villarreal continued to threaten. With the half-hour approaching, Mbappe turned provider with a back-heel pass that released Rodrygo behind the defence. The forward had only the side-netting to aim at, however, and could not extend the visitors’ advantage.

Villarreal made an attacking change at half-time, replacing Nicolas Pepe with Thierno Barry in a straightforward effort to increase their threat in the final third.

The hosts began the second half with renewed urgency and applied sustained pressure as they searched for an equaliser. Real Madrid responded by defending deeper, protecting their lead and repeatedly clearing the danger from their penalty area.

Luka Modric was introduced midway through the second half, replacing Rodrygo as Real added experience and fresh legs to their midfield and attack.

Villarreal continued to push, but the visitors also had opportunities to settle the contest. Federico Valverde met a ball first time with a volley from the edge of the area during the closing stages, only for Conde to get down well and save.

Real Madrid were forced to absorb further pressure in the final minutes, yet they managed the game effectively and ran down the clock. The victory brought the maximum points and lifted Los Blancos into first place in LALIGA, ahead of FC Barcelona.