Madrid beat Villarreal to move level with Liga leaders Barcelona

MADRID: Fede Valverde and Vinicius Junior strikes helped Real Madrid bounce back from their first defeat since January with a 2-0 win over Villarreal on Saturday in La Liga.

Los Blancos lost in the Champions League at Lille but are still unbeaten in the Spanish top flight and moved level with leaders Barcelona before the Catalans visit Alaves on Sunday. Valverde´s deflected effort and a rocket from Vinicius allowed Madrid to put a four-point gap between them and their third-placed opponents, who battled well but came up fractionally short in the capital.

Madrid´s victory was marred by a late injury to defender Dani Carvajal, who had to be taken off on a stretcher. “In the end the result´s a less important thing -- Dani´s health is what matters,” Valverde told Real Madrid TV.

“The game was fine, it was neither very good or bad, it was what we had to do to win, two goals was enough.” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti started Kylian Mbappe after the French striker had recovered from a thigh problem. The former Paris Saint-Germain striker could only appear from the bench in Madrid´s disappointing midweek display.

Mbappe, whom France have not selected for upcoming Nations League fixtures, was quiet at the Santiago Bernabeu as his team ground out victory with a determined, rather than inspiring, performance.

Madrid are still missing German midfielder Toni Kroos, although on this occasion he was watching on from a box. Mbappe sent an early volley off-target from Luka Modric´s corner but it was midfield powerhouse Valverde who broke the deadlock after 14 minutes.

The Uruguayan´s drive from distance deflected off Villarreal playmaker Alex Baena and arced beyond the reach of goalkeeper Diego Conde. The visitors, enjoying a strong start to the season under coach Marcelino Garcia Toral, came close when Nicolas Pepe´s header clipped the top of the crossbar. Then Thierno Barry headed over from close range.

Mbappe had one further chance, bursting into the area with his electric pace, but goalkeeper Conde managed to dispossess him with an outstretched leg. 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.