BY OUR MAN AT LA CERAMICA
KYLIAN MBAPPE proved once again why he is the king of the Bernabeu, bagging a clinical brace to dismantle Villarreal and fire Real Madrid to the summit of La Liga.
In a clash billed as a potential banana skin for Alvaro Arbeloa’s superstars, the Frenchman stood tallest, turning a cagey affair into a personal highlight reel. The 2-0 victory was enough to leapfrog bitter rivals Barcelona, sending a chilling message to the rest of Spain: Los Blancos are back in the driving seat.
After a frustrating first half where Villarreal’s “Yellow Submarine” sat deep and defied the Madrid heavyweights, it took just 120 seconds of the second period for the deadlock to be shattered.
Vinicius Junior, a constant thorn in the hosts’ side, danced past Pau Navarro with the grace of a samba king before fizzing a low cross into the danger zone.
When the ball ricocheted off Pape Gueye, Mbappe reacted like a shark in the water, stabbing the ball home for his 20th league goal of a staggering debut season.
Villarreal had their chances to spoil the party. Gerard Moreno will be wondering how he blazed a golden opportunity over the bar from ten yards out, a miss that ultimately sealed the hosts’ fate.
As the clock ticked into stoppage time, Mbappe wasn’t done. After being hacked down in the box by a desperate Alfonso Pedraza, the World Cup winner showed nerves of pure steel. Instead of a power-drive, he dinked a cheeky Panenka penalty straight down the middle, leaving keeper Luiz Junior clutching at thin air.
While Mbappe grabbed the headlines, he wasn’t the only Galactico to shine:
Arda Guler: The Turkish wonderkid was a magician in midfield, forcing saves and pulling strings for 80 minutes.
Vinicius Jr: His electric pace and trickery provided the spark Madrid needed when things looked stale.
Thibaut Courtois: A spectator for much of the game, but his presence alone seemed to spook the Villarreal frontline.
With this win, Arbeloa has steadied the ship after that shock cup exit earlier this month.
Madrid move two points clear at the top, and on this evidence, it’s going to take something special to knock them off their perch.
