In a thrilling display, Kylian Mbappe showcased his talent once again, bringing his goal count to 31 for the season with Real Madrid. He netted twice in a comeback victory over Villarreal, allowing Madrid to take a three-point lead over Barcelona at the pinnacle of La Liga.
The match began with an early strike from former Tottenham defender Juan Foyth, who scored for Villarreal just seven minutes in. This came shortly after Madrid’s goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, made an impressive save, pushing Ayoze Perez’s shot onto the post.
But Real Madrid’s top scorer Mbappe didn’t take long to respond. Just 10 minutes later, he seized the opportunity presented by a loose ball in the box, following a save from Villarreal’s keeper Diego Conde off a shot from Brahim Diaz, and smashed it into the net to equalize.
Mbappe’s class shone through again as he turned the game on its head before the 23rd minute. In a swift counter-attack, he elegantly curled the ball in from the edge of the box, putting Madrid in the lead with his second goal of the night.
On a related note, there was a bit of drama at the hour mark involving Jude Bellingham and Juan Foyth. The Argentine, who won the World Cup in 2022, went down theatrically, attempting to draw a foul from the Englishman. This incident led to a VAR review, during which players from both sides, including Vinicius Jr, voiced their opinions quite vocally. Bellingham, back from a suspension after being red-carded in an earlier match against Osasuna, remained unshaken by the incident.
Commentators at Premier Sports weren’t shy about expressing their displeasure with Foyth’s antics, calling out his embellishment as detrimental to the sport. The controversy didn’t end there for Foyth, as he later received a booking for a tackle on Vinicius Jr, who had been brought on in the second half.
As for Mbappe, his impressive start with Madrid continues to grab headlines. Since his move from PSG, he’s bagged two hat-tricks and several braces, proving his worth as one of the best in the world. He’s only one goal shy of the league’s current top scorer, Robert Lewandowski, who leads with 21 goals and whose team sits above Atletico Madrid in the standings.
Barcelona, Madrid’s closest rival, will face Atletico Madrid this Sunday, with both teams having matches in hand. Meanwhile, Real Madrid prepares to host Leganes at the end of March, marking another step in their competitive La Liga campaign.
