In a thrilling Spanish league encounter, Real Madrid secured a 4-1 victory against Villarreal, propelling them to the top of the league standings. The match, however, was marred by a serious injury to defender David Alaba, who ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and will undergo surgery.
Real Madrid showcased their attacking prowess with goals from Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, Brahim Díaz, and Luka Modric. Bellingham’s header in the 25th minute, his league-leading 13th goal, opened the scoring. Rodrygo extended their lead in the 37th minute with his fifth goal in the last six games. Brahim Díaz dazzled with a brilliant solo run from midfield in the 64th minute, clearing two defenders before finding the net. Luka Modric added to the tally with another well-placed shot from inside the box in the 68th minute.
Villarreal managed to find the net in the 54th minute through José Luis Morales, but it proved insufficient as they struggled to break Real Madrid’s defensive resilience.
Despite the impressive victory, Real Madrid’s celebrations were tempered by the injury to David Alaba. The Austrian defender had to be carried off the field at the Santiago Bernabeu just before halftime when his left knee buckled while attempting to steal the ball from an opponent near midfield. This setback adds to Real Madrid’s ongoing injury woes, with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and defender Éder Militão already sidelined due to cruciate ligament injuries.
Real Madrid now leads the Spanish league, holding a one-point advantage over Girona, who are set to face Alaves on Monday. Barcelona, the defending champions, find themselves seven points adrift in third place after a 1-1 draw against Valencia.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has indeed voiced his concern regarding the team’s recurring knee injuries. Over the past four months, there have been three such injuries, a situation unprecedented in his coaching career. Nevertheless, the team has managed to surpass expectations by successfully dealing with these injuries.
Villarreal, who had been the last team to defeat Real Madrid at the Bernabeu last season, is now struggling in 14th place, with nine losses in 17 league matches, marking their worst start to a season.
In another closely contested match, Real Sociedad and Real Betis played to an exciting 0-0 draw, extending Sociedad’s unbeaten streak to nine matches in all competitions. Betis, on the other hand, recorded their third consecutive league draw under the management of Manuel Pellegrini.
Meanwhile, Cadiz’s winless streak in the league reached 13 matches after a 1-1 draw against Las Palmas. Chris Ramos scored the equalizer for Cadiz in the 83rd minute, leaving them just one point away from the relegation zone. Las Palmas, seeking their fourth consecutive win in all competitions, sits in ninth place in the league standings.
With the league race heating up, Real Madrid will be aiming to maintain their lead, while Villarreal will be seeking to recover from their recent slump and make a climb up the standings. The Spanish league promises more exciting action in the weeks ahead as the battle for supremacy unfolds.
