Following a series of setbacks, including the dismissal of coach Xabi Alonso, a loss in the Spanish Super Cup final, and elimination from the Copa del Rey, Real Madrid, under Alvaro Arbeloa, has rediscovered its vitality with two consecutive victories. Midweek, they dominated Monaco with a 6-1 win in the champions league.

One constant, and most evident, at Real Madrid remains Mbappe's form. The "monster" continues to hunger for goals, displaying an unwavering predatory instinct from the old year into the new.

Mbappe celebrates after scoring for Real Madrid in their 2-0 victory over Villarreal in la liga's 21st round at Estadio de la Ceramica on january 24. Photo: Reuters

Meanwhile, two consecutive defeats across all competitions, particularly their official elimination from the champions league with a poor record of one draw and six losses, placed Villarreal second to last in the standings. This situation pressured them to reclaim pride at home against Real Madrid.

Coach Marcelino maintained his classic 4-4-2 formation, aiming for a tight defensive posture and counter-attacks through the flanks—areas where the hosts believed the visitors offered minimal defensive support. The ball was primarily channeled down the left wing, where a seasoned Alfonso Pedraza (29 years old) combined with a youthful and in-form Alberto Moleiro (22 years old), who has 8 goals and 3 assists this season. Their partnership aimed to deliver crosses for Georgian striker Mikautadze.

For Real Madrid, early opportunities emerged from shots by Arda Guler, who played wide on the right when the ball reached the final third and supported build-up play in their own third.

The first half unfolded with periods of fluid play and intense bursts, especially during one 15-minute stretch. This scenario suited Real Madrid, a team that thrives without rigid constraints, truly excelling when playing directly rather than engaging in intricate passing sequences. They preferred direct strikes over prolonged build-up.

Guler consistently sought Mbappe in the space behind the opposing defense, while Vinicius honed his outside-of-the-boot flicks towards dangerous areas. However, these efforts only resulted in a few shots from Mbappe and Vinicius that went wide of the goal.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois rushes out to clear the ball ahead of a Villarreal player. Photo: Reuters

Amidst these attacking exchanges, Real Madrid showcased diligence from every position when out of possession. The defensive structure tightened, and individual players relentlessly tracked and pressured opponents—a quality Arbeloa pledged to instill on his appointment. This style was evident in the midweek victory against Monaco, where Real Madrid recorded 258 instances of full-field pressing, a team record since 2019 under Zinedine Zidane.

Early in the second half, the turning point arrived. Vinicius escaped Navarro's marking near the left byline and delivered a cut-back pass. Pape Gueye, who had received a commemorative medal from the club before the match for winning the 2026 AFCON with Senegal, made a mistake while attempting to clear. The ball became entangled at his feet, and Mbappe capitalized, slotting a low shot into the net to open the scoring in the 47th minute.

Villarreal did not give up. In the 62nd minute, from a set-piece near the left flank, home striker Gerard Moreno received the ball unmarked inside Real Madrid's penalty area, but his shot went over the bar. This was Villarreal's most significant chance of the entire match.

As the game's tempo slowed, coach Marcelino introduced substitutes such as Nicolas Pepe, Oluwaseyi, and Ayoze to inject new energy. Arbeloa responded by bringing on Gonzalo Garcia and Brahim Diaz. In a back-and-forth contest, "Los Blancos" maintained better control.

Mbappe scores a Panenka penalty, sealing Real Madrid's victory. Photo: Reuters

The final blow to the hosts' efforts at La Ceramica came in stoppage time. Vinicius once again found Mbappe with a diagonal pass that sliced through the home defense. The French forward entered the penalty area and was brought down by Pedraza. From the penalty spot, Mbappe executed a Panenka-style shot down the middle, then rushed to embrace Diaz, who had recently shed tears after missing a similar penalty in the 2026 AFCON final just days prior.

This was also the number 10's five goal across all competitions since early 2016, extending Mbappe's lead in the La Liga top scorer race with 21 goals. Real Madrid won by relying on its established strengths—the talent of its star players—combined with newly awakened qualities, such as the commitment to defensive support from every player. Arbeloa's squad comfortably reclaimed the top spot in La Liga, now awaiting Barca's result against Oviedo.

Hoang Thong