Real Madrid earned a hard-fought 2-0 win at the Estadio de la Cerámica against a third-place Villarreal side. With this victory, Los Blancos have overtaken Barcelona by a single point to become the provisional leaders of LaLiga.
The matchup featured the two most disciplined defenses in the league, a fact reflected in a tightly contested first half. Neither side was able to break the deadlock during the opening 45 minutes, with the teams heading into the locker rooms with the score level at 0-0.
Real Madrid struck immediately after the restart to take the lead. Kylian Mbappe scored the opening goal of the match in the 46th minute, clinical in his finish to give the visitors the advantage. Despite holding the lead, the visitors continued to press forward and would eventually double their advantage late in the match.
In the closing stages, Villarreal‘s Alfonso Pedraza committed a decisive foul in the area, resulting in a penalty for the visitors. Mbappe stepped up to convert from the spot, marking his second goal of the game and his 21st of the season. With the final whistle, Real Madrid successfully claimed the top spot in LaLiga, securing a vital three points at the Estadio de la Cerámica.
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Real Madrid defeated Villarreal 2-0 at Matchday 21 of LaLiga and you lived every moment of this game with Bolavip.
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End of the game!
Real Madrid secured a vital win at the Estadio de la Ceramica against Villarreal!
90'+3- GOOOAAAAL OF REAL MADRID!! (0-2)
Mbappe scores with Panenka style!!
90'+2- Penalty for Real Madrid! (0-1)
Kylian Mbappe was fouled by Pedraza inside the box!
79'- Modification in Real Madrid (0-1)
Arda Guler left the field to make way for Brahim Diaz.
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76'- Two modifications in Villarreal (0-1)
Dani Parejo and Georges Mikautadze were replaced by Ayoze Perez and Thomas Partey.
73'- Modification in Real madrid (0-1)
Franco Mastantuono left the field to make way for Gonzalo Garcia.
69'- Two modifications in Villarreal (0-1)
Tajon Buchanan and Gerard Moreno were replaced by Nicolas Pepe and Tani Oluwaseyi.
62'- What a miss by Moreno! (0-1)
Villarreal had a golden opportunity to level the match, but Gerard Moreno fired his shot over the crossbar.
61'- Yellow card in Real Madrid (0-1)
Franco Mastantuono received a yellow card.
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57'- Yellow card in Villarreal (0-1)
Pau Navarro received a yellow card after a tackle against Vinicius Jr.
51'- Yellow card in Villarreal (0-1)
Tajon Buchanan received a yellow card.
46'- GOAAAAL OF REAL MADRID!!! (0-1)
Kylian Mbappe scores the opener of the game!!
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The second half is underway!
Villarreal and Real Madrid are already playing the second half!
Halftime!
The first half at Estadio de la Ceramica has finished!
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45'- What a miss by Pape Gueye! (0-0)
Villarreal nearly took the lead as Pape Gueye unleashed a thunderous strike that whistled just wide of Thibaut Courtois' goal.
40'- Vinicius nearly scores! (0-0)
The Brazilian forward fired a powerful strike from outside the box that whistled just past Luiz Júnior's right post.
36'- Match tempo slows down (0-0)
After a high-paced stretch, the game’s intensity has dropped significantly. Both sides are currently struggling to create chances, and the match has entered a quiet period with little action at either end.
26'- Kylian Mbappe with his first shot (0-0)
After a sharp combination with Vinicius Jr., Kylian Mbappe unleashed a powerful strike, but Luiz Júnior was well-positioned to make the save.
24'- Another shot from Guler! (0-0)
Following a counter-attack led by Franco Mastantuono, Arda Guler struck from outside the area, but his shot went over the crossbar.
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22'- First substitution of the game (0-0)
Villarreal's Juan Foyth left the field injured to make way for Rafa Marin.
19'- Brilliant play by Arda Guler! (0-0)
The Turkish midfielder danced into the box, leaving two defenders in his wake before unleashing a powerful strike. However, Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Júnior was equal to the task, producing a sharp save to keep the match scoreless
16'- Villarreal take the initiative (0-0)
The home side is currently dictating the tempo, launching the more dangerous attacks as it look to break the deadlock. Real Madrid, meanwhile, have been forced into a more defensive posture.
8'- Strong start to the match (0-0)
Both teams are actively seeking the opening goal, creating an engaging, end-to-end contest in the early stages. While the pace remains high and both sides are pushing forward, no clear-cut scoring opportunities have materialized thus far.
1'- First yellow card of the game (0-0)
Villarreal's Juan Foyth received the first yellow card of the game after a foul against Jude Bellingham.
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GAME ON!
The game between Villarreal and Real Madrid is underway!
Players are on the pitch!
Players from both teams are on the pitch. Everything is ready for the start of the match!
Both teams doing warm up activities
Players for both sides have taken the field for warmups!
Real Madrid dealing with several absences
Alvaro Arbeloa will be unable to count on Aurelien Tchouameni due to suspension, while Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy, and Eder Militao are out due to injury.
However, the manager has welcomed back Rodrygo, who was sidelined with an injury, and Brahim Diaz, who returns after competing with Morocco in the AFCON.
Villarreal lineup confirmed!
This will be Villarreal's starting XI for today: Luiz Júnior; Pau Navarro, Juan Foyth, Renato Veiga, Alfonso Pedraza; Tajon Buchanan, Dani Parejo, Pape Gueye, Alberto Moleiro; Gerard Moreno, Georges Mikautadze.
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Real Madrid lineup confirmed!
This will be Real Madrid starting lineup for today: Thibaut Courtois; Federico Valverde, Raul Asencio, Dean Huijsen, Alvaro Carreras; Arda Guler, Eduardo Camavinga, Jude Bellingham; Franco Mastantuono, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr.
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Today's referees
Cesar Soto Grado has been appointed to officiate the clash between Villarreal and Real Madrid. He will be joined on the field by Carlos Alvarez and Ruben Becerril, who are set to serve as the assistant referees.
Full officiating team:
Referee: Cesar Soto Grado (SPA)
Assistant Referee 1: Carlos Alvarez (SPA)
Assistant Referee 2: Ruben Becerril (SPA)
Fourth official: Manuel Pozueta (SPA)
VAR: Mario Melero (SPA)
Kickoff time and where to watch
Villarreal vs Real Madrid will get underway at the Estadio de la Ceramica at 3:00 PM (ET).
Villarreal and Real Madrid clash in the Matchday 21 from 2025-26 LaLiga
Welcome to our live blog of LaLiga! Villarreal face Real Madrid today on Matchday 21, with both teams looking to secure three vital points to stay at the top of the standings!
Stay with us for key information and minute-by-minute updates of this exciting game!
Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, with a specialization in soccer, the NBA, and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he first established himself as a writer. Throughout his career, Gianni has covered major sports events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tournaments like the French Open. His ability to report on real-time events and perform well under pressure has made him a valuable member of a top-tier team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, where he now covers a wide range of sports, including European soccer, MLS, and the NBA.
