Real Madrid climbed to the top of the LaLiga table with a 2-0 win over Villarreal at the Estadio de la Cerámica, as Marcelino’s side suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time since March.

The match started scrappily, with referee César Soto Grado denying Villarreal an early penalty, setting the tone for a half where clear-cut chances were few and far between. Villarreal tried to exploit the channels through Tajon Buchanan and Alberto Moleiro, but Real’s Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappé were largely kept busy chasing loose balls thanks to disciplined man-to-man defending.

The first shot on target came in the 20th minute when Arda Güler’s brilliant individual effort tested Luiz Junior, showcasing his skill and vision. Both sides, known for their attacking prowess, cancelled each other out for much of the opening 45 minutes, battling for every ball. Vinicius, who hadn’t scored in the league since the reverse fixture in October, saw a left-footed strike go narrowly wide, and Pape Gueye also fired just past the post with the final effort of the half.

The deadlock was broken just two minutes into the second half, as Mbappé reacted fastest to a loose ball inside the Villarreal box, calmly finishing with his first touch of the game. The goal—his fourth in three appearances—triggered a period of Real Madrid dominance, leaving the hosts under pressure; this season, Los Blancos have won every league game in which they scored first.

Villarreal’s best chance came just after the hour, when a clever free-kick routine between Dani Parejo and Gerard Moreno almost produced an equaliser, but opportunities remained rare for the home side.

In stoppage time, Mbappé’s blistering pace forced Alfonso Pedraza to bring him down inside the area. The Frenchman stepped up and confidently converted a Panenka penalty to seal the victory, putting the game beyond doubt.

The defeat leaves Villarreal below Atlético Madrid in the table after suffering their third consecutive loss across all competitions. Meanwhile, Barcelona will know that a win against Real Oviedo on Sunday is essential if they are to reclaim top spot from Real Madrid.