Mbappé's Brace Propels Real Madrid to Top of LaLiga with Villarreal Victory

Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Villarreal at Estadio de la Cerámica, with Kylian Mbappé scoring both goals to propel Los Blancos to the top of the LaLiga standings.[1][2][3]

The match, played on January 24, 2026, saw Real Madrid, under manager Alvaro Arbeloa, capitalize on a below-par Villarreal side that suffered their third straight defeat following a midweek Champions League loss to Ajax.[3][5]

The first half ended goalless, with Villarreal creating an early chance in the 14th minute when Alfonso Pedraza's cross found Tajon Buchanan, who couldn't direct it on target. Real Madrid had opportunities too, including a missed shot by Mbappé just before halftime.[3][4]

Just two minutes into the second half, in the 47th minute, Vinícius Júnior darted into the box, kept the ball in play, and his cutback deflected off Villarreal's Gueye, allowing Mbappé to fire home his 20th LaLiga goal of the season.[1][3][5]

Villarreal pushed back, with captain Gerard Moreno firing over from a free-kick in the 62nd minute, but Real Madrid maintained control. In stoppage time, at 90+4 minutes, Mbappé converted a penalty after being fouled in the box, sealing the win.[2][3]

This result moves Real Madrid to 21 matches played, 16 wins, 3 draws, 2 losses, with 51 points and a +28 goal difference, overtaking Barcelona (49 points from 20 games) provisionally. Villarreal slip to 13-2-5, 41 points, level with Atlético Madrid.[1][3][5]

Key performers included Vinícius Júnior for his assist and Mbappé's clinical finishing, while Villarreal's Juan Foyth and others picked up early fouls.[2][4]