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Real Madrid go level on points with Barcelona after beating Villarreal at Santiago Bernabeu.
In a contest that was even on the balance of play, Real Madrid were powered to victory by two thunderous long-range shots from Federico Valverde and Vinicius Jr.
After their 36-game unbeaten run ended midweek against Lille, Los Blancos needed to respond when they hosted Marcelino's men at Santiago Bernabeu this weekend. Although the visitors had the better chances in the first-half, Valverde gave the hosts the lead before Vinicius confirmed the result in the second-half.
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Key match details
While Real Madrid plan to get back to winning ways, the expected no cakewalk, as Villarreal were one of the most in-form sides in the league, just behind Carlo Ancelotti’s side with one point.
Despite Villarreal’s impressive start to the game, it took the hosts merely 15 minutes to forge ahead, courtesy of Federico Valverde's precisely struck effort from outside the area. A fortuitous deflection off Pape Gueye aided the ball's passage through a sea of bodies, but Valverde's technique deserved acclaim.
Villarreal responded vigorously, with Pepe’s header clipping the crossbar mere minutes later. As the match unfolded, the visitors grew in stature, adeptly navigating Madrid's press. Nonetheless, they failed to breach the host’s goal.
The second half commenced with unrelenting intensity from both sides, albeit with scarce end product. Alex Baena's free-kick into the side netting represented the closest either team came to a breakthrough.
The game's pivotal moment arrived midway through the half, courtesy of the irrepressible Vinicius. The Brazilian sensation underscored his status as the world's premier player with a thunderous strike from the edge of the area via the post, leaving Diego Conde helpless, which sent the Bernabeu chanting “Vinicius for Ballon d’Or in Spanish.
This clinching goal effectively settled the contest, temporarily elevating Ancelotti's charges to parity with league leaders Barcelona on points ahead of the Blaugrana's Sunday clash with Alaves. However, the match ended on a sad note, as Dani Carvajal hyper-extended his knee in an attempted clearance and had to be stretched off in tears.
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