Real Madrid bounced back from their first defeat in nearly ten months, securing a 2-0 victory over Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday. The win came at a potential cost, as right back Dani Carvajal suffered an injury during the match.
Federico Valverde and Vinícius Júnior found the net for the defending champions, just four days after their 1-0 loss at Lille in the Champions League, which ended a remarkable 36-game unbeaten streak across all competitions.
With this victory, Madrid maintains an impressive unbeaten run in 41 consecutive Spanish league matches. The win against third-placed Villarreal brings Madrid to 21 points, tying them with Barcelona, who are set to face Alaves on Sunday.
Carvajal’s injury occurred in stoppage time when he fell to the ground in pain after colliding with an opponent’s leg. He appeared to indicate a serious issue with his knee, as he was visibly upset when being carried off on a stretcher. Coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed concern about the injury, describing it as “very serious” and highlighting the challenges posed by a congested schedule.
Ancelotti mentioned that Carvajal will undergo further tests to determine the extent of the injury, while Lucas Vázquez is expected to step in as reserve right back.
“Carvajal is a key player for us because of his experience and his attitude,” Ancelotti stated about the 32-year-old, who has been with the team since the 2013-14 season after progressing through their youth academy.
In another match, Celta Vigo secured a 1-0 win against last-placed Las Palmas, but the highlight was the sending-off of striker Iago Aspas. He was shown two yellow cards in quick succession for protesting a red card issued to teammate Ilaix Moriba. Despite being down to nine players, Celta held on for the victory, marking the end of a three-match winless run.
Las Palmas remains winless in the league and has not secured a victory in 23 consecutive league matches dating back to the previous season, where they narrowly avoided relegation.
In other results, Rayo Vallecano defeated Valladolid 2-1 thanks to two goals from Jorge de Frutos, while Espanyol triumphed over Mallorca 2-1 at home. Osasuna and Getafe ended in a 1-1 draw.