Kylian Mbappe’s Brace Secures Real Madrid’s Victory Over Villarreal

Mbappe Shines as Madrid Edges Villarreal 2-1

Real Madrid’s French forward, Kylian Mbappe, delivered a stunning performance, netting twice to help his team secure a 2-1 victory over Villarreal at the Estadio de la Cerámica on March 15, 2025. With this crucial win, Los Blancos climbed three points clear of their closest rivals, Barcelona, who still have two games in hand and face a crucial clash against third-placed Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

Madrid Overcomes Scheduling Concerns

Despite their frustration over playing within 72 hours of their Champions League triumph over Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid managed to maintain their energy levels and claim victory against Villarreal, who currently sit in fifth place. Coach Carlo Ancelotti made a strategic decision to start without Vinicius Junior, opting to rest him following the physically demanding midweek fixture.

Villarreal Strikes First, But Mbappe Responds

Villarreal started the match with high intensity, forcing Madrid’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois into an early save from Ayoze Perez. The home side capitalized on their early pressure when Juan Foyth pounced on a rebounded ball and slotted it home to give Villarreal the lead.

However, Real Madrid responded swiftly. Just 17 minutes into the match, Brahim Diaz’s attempted lob was parried by Villarreal’s Diego Conde, but Mbappe was quick to react, calmly converting the rebound to level the score. Shortly after, Mbappe completed his brace in style—initiating a build-up play, spreading the ball to the right, and finishing clinically from Lucas Vazquez’s cross. This marked his 20th goal of the La Liga season, putting him just one goal behind Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski in the top scorer race.

Madrid Defends the Lead as Villarreal Pushes Back

Real Madrid controlled the remainder of the first half, absorbing Villarreal’s pressure while Courtois remained sharp, denying Nicolas Pepe’s close-range attempt.

At halftime, Villarreal’s coach Marcelino Garcia Toral made a tactical change, introducing Thierno Barry in place of Pepe in an attempt to revive his team’s attack and avoid their first home defeat to Madrid since 2017. Foyth nearly equalized early in the second half but misfired from a promising position.

Ancelotti reinforced his side by bringing on Vinicius Junior and Luka Modric, helping Madrid regain control of the game. Although Fede Valverde tested Conde with a powerful shot, Villarreal’s closest chance came through Perez, whose well-executed turn and strike narrowly missed the target.

Other La Liga Results

In other fixtures, Mallorca secured a 2-1 win over Espanyol, with Vedat Muriqi converting a late penalty after earlier missing a spot-kick and scoring an own goal. Meanwhile, Celta Vigo defeated Valladolid 1-0, condemning the bottom-placed side to their 20th league loss of the season.

Key Takeaways:

Match Winner: Kylian Mbappe’s double secured Real Madrid’s victory.
League Standings: Madrid leads La Liga by three points.
Tactical Move: Ancelotti benched Vinicius initially but brought him on later to strengthen Madrid’s hold on the game.
Top Scorers Race: Mbappe trails Lewandowski by just one goal.