Real Madrid returned from the international break with a hard-earned victory over Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabéu, securing three valuable points in the eighth round of LaLiga. In a tightly contested encounter, Yan Diomande opened his Real Madrid scoring account, while the game also saw Vinícius Júnior sent off following a VAR review.
The first half was closely fought, with both sides competing for control. However, despite creating several promising opportunities, Real Madrid were unable to find the breakthrough before the interval.
The hosts started brightly, and Kylian Mbappé came close to opening the scoring in the seventh minute. The French forward met a pass from Álvaro Carreras with a first-time left-footed effort inside the penalty area, but his shot struck the post.
Mbappé had another excellent opportunity around the 22nd minute after Trent Alexander-Arnold delivered an outstanding long pass behind Villarreal’s defensive line. The striker worked space with a clever turn past Pau Navarro, but his subsequent effort was denied by the opposing goalkeeper.
Although the first half ended goalless, Real Madrid had created the more dangerous chances and looked increasingly likely to break the deadlock.
Diomande Breaks the Deadlock with His First Real Madrid Goal
Real Madrid introduced Vinícius Júnior in the 52nd minute, hoping the Brazilian’s pace and creativity would help unlock Villarreal’s defence. Eight minutes later, he tested the goalkeeper with a low shot, but his effort was comfortably saved.
Villarreal soon produced their most dangerous spell of the match. Pape Gueye unleashed two attempts from the edge of the penalty area, forcing Thibaut Courtois into action. The Belgian goalkeeper reacted brilliantly, making two impressive saves to keep the visitors from taking the lead.
Real Madrid responded with the breakthrough they had been searching for.
In the 62nd minute, Federico Valverde delivered a perfectly timed through ball to Yan Diomande, who finished confidently with a superb angled strike to put the hosts ahead.
The assistant referee initially flagged for offside, threatening to deny Madrid their breakthrough. However, following a VAR review, the decision was overturned, allowing Diomande to celebrate his first goal in a Real Madrid shirt.
The goal gave the home side a crucial advantage and appeared to put them in control of the contest.
Vinícius Júnior Sent Off After VAR Review
Nine minutes after Diomande’s opener, Real Madrid thought they had doubled their lead. Jude Bellingham produced a powerful run before the ball reached Vinícius Júnior, who finished the move with a well-taken strike.
However, the celebrations were short-lived. After a VAR review, referee Díaz de Mera disallowed the goal because Vinícius had pulled William Saliba’s hair earlier in the attacking move. The Brazilian was subsequently shown a straight red card, leaving Real Madrid with 10 men for the closing stages.
The dismissal gave Villarreal a numerical advantage and renewed their hopes of rescuing a result. The visitors pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but Courtois once again proved decisive.
In the 77th minute, the Madrid goalkeeper produced an outstanding save to deny Romero and preserve his team’s narrow lead.
Mbappé had an opportunity to put the result beyond doubt a minute later after receiving an excellent pass from Valverde. However, Villarreal’s goalkeeper stood firm, keeping the score at 1-0.
Real Madrid Hold On for Three Important Points
The closing stages were tense, with Villarreal attempting to exploit their extra player and Real Madrid working hard to protect their advantage. The referee also issued yellow cards to Konaté, Antonio Rüdiger, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Mbappé as the contest became increasingly heated.
Despite the late pressure and Vinícius Júnior’s dismissal, Real Madrid showed determination and defensive discipline to see out the match.
Diomande’s decisive goal proved to be the difference, earning Madrid a valuable victory in their first LaLiga fixture after the international break. While the red card added an unwanted twist to the evening, the home side ultimately achieved their main objective by securing all three points at the Bernabéu.
