Kylian Mbappé scored twice as Real Madrid came from behind to defeat Villarreal 2-1 at El Madrigal, reclaiming the top spot in La Liga. The victory, achieved despite manager Carlo Ancelotti’s protests about fixture congestion, puts Madrid three points clear of previous leaders Barcelona, who visit third-placed Atletico Madrid on Sunday night.
Villarreal, who remain in fifth place, five points off the Champions League qualification spots, took an early lead. After Thibaut Courtois denied top scorer Ayoze Perez twice, captain Juan Foyth slammed home from close range following a goalmouth scramble from the resulting corner.
The goal sparked a response from Real Madrid and Mbappé in particular. The Frenchman equalized 10 minutes later, scoring the rebound after Diego Conde saved Brahim Diaz’s shot, following a through ball from Mbappé himself.
Mbappé then put Madrid ahead in the 23rd minute. After a cutback from the byline, he was given too much space on the edge of the Villarreal box and curled a precise shot past Conde. The goals take Mbappé to 20 league goals for the season, just one behind La Liga’s top scorer, Robert Lewandowski.
Villarreal, who drew 4-4 in this fixture last season, continued to threaten. Courtois produced a full-stretch save to deny Nicholas Pepe just before halftime and again to keep out Alex Baena in the second half.
Ancelotti Protests Fixture Congestion
After the match, Carlo Ancelotti expressed his anger at the scheduling, with Real Madrid playing just 66 hours after their Champions League extra-time and penalty shootout victory over Atletico Madrid. Ancelotti stated that Real Madrid would refuse to play any further games with less than 72 hours of rest, citing FIFA’s 2023 recommendation for a minimum 72-hour rest period between matches. He mentioned Real’s request to change the match timings were turned down.
“We held our own physically. In the second half the team was exhausted but that was normal,” Ancelotti said. “This victory speaks volumes about the team and the resources this squad has. This is the last time we’ll play a game without 72 hours of rest.”
Mbappé’s performance highlighted his growing influence at Real Madrid, having endured a difficult start. He took centre stage with Vinicius Jr starting on the bench.
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