La Liga: Madrid edge closer to Barca after impressive 2-0 win over Villarreal

Fede Valverde and Vinicius Junior found the net to help Real Madrid secure a 2-0 victory over Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday, bouncing back from their midweek Champions League defeat at Lille. 

Despite the setback in Europe, Los Blancos remain unbeaten in the Spanish league and are now level with Barcelona at the top of the table, ahead of Barça’s Sunday fixture against Alaves.

Valverde opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a deflected long-range effort, while Vinicius doubled the lead with a powerful strike.

Villarreal, coached by Marcelino Garcia Toral, posed a challenge with near-misses from Nicolas Pepe and Thierno Barry, but Madrid held firm.

Madrid’s win was overshadowed by a late injury to defender Dani Carvajal, who was stretchered off.

Kylian Mbappe, recovering from a thigh issue, made a substitute appearance but struggled to make a significant impact.

Despite a few chances, including a dispossession by Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Conde, the French striker was kept quiet in a hard-fought victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Villarreal appealed for a penalty early in the second half when Aurelien Tchouameni, playing at centre-back, pulled down Barry, but the French striker was offside.

Baena hit the side-netting of Andriy Lunin’s goal with a free-kick, nearly catching out the Ukrainian goalkeeper standing in for the injured Thibaut Courtois.

Vinicius flashed a shot narrowly wide, before his strike partner Mbappe was replaced with 20 minutes to go by Rodrygo Goes.

Brazil striker Vinicius, who is hoping to win a first Ballon d’Or later in October, netted the second with a superb effort from outside the area, which ripped into the top corner.

In stoppage time, Spanish right-back Carvajal suffered an injury while attempting to clear the ball under pressure from Yeremy Pino.

Earlier nine-man Celta Vigo earned a 1-0 win at bottom of the table Las Palmas.

The Canary Islanders were unable to record their first win of the season even after Ilaix Moriba and Iago Aspas’s red cards for Celta, who climbed to ninth thanks to Borja Iglesias’ goal.

Osasuna moved into fifth with a 1-1 draw at Getafe, while Espanyol beat Mallorca 2-1 and Rayo Vallecano won at Valladolid by the same score.