Fede Valverde and Vinicius Junior strikes helped Real Madrid bounce back from their first defeat since January with a 2-0 win over Villarreal on Saturday in La Liga. Los Blancos lost in the Champions League at Lille but are still unbeaten in the Spanish top flight and moved level with leaders Barcelona, before the Catalans visit Alaves on Sunday. Valverde’s deflected effort and a rocket from Vinicius allowed Madrid to put a four-point gap between them and their third-placed opponents, who battled well but came up fractionally short in the capital.

Madrid’s victory was marred by a late injury to defender Dani Carvajal, who had to be taken off on a stretcher.

“It seems a serious knee injury, it will be looked at in the coming hours,” Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti told reporters.

“The players are sad, worried, because something happened that happens a lot, because of the (busy) calendar, and it happened to a very, very important player for us.”

Ancelotti said Vinicius would also have medical tests after being taken off late on with discomfort in his shoulder and neck.

The Italian coach started Kylian Mbappe after the French striker had recovered from a thigh problem.

The former Paris Saint-Germain striker could only appear from the bench in Madrid’s disappointing midweek display.

Mbappe, who France have not selected for upcoming Nations League fixtures, was quiet at the Santiago Bernabeu as his team ground out victory with a determined, rather than inspiring, performance.

Madrid are still missing German midfielder Toni Kroos, although on this occasion he was watching on from a box.

Mbappe sent an early volley off-target from Luka Modric‘s corner but it was midfield powerhouse Valverde who broke the deadlock after 14 minutes.

The Uruguayan’s drive from distance deflected off Villarreal playmaker Alex Baena and arced beyond the reach of goalkeeper Diego Conde.

The visitors, enjoying a strong start to the season under coach Marcelino Garcia Toral, came close when Nicolas Pepe‘s header clipped the top of the crossbar.

Mbappe had one further chance, bursting into the area with his electric pace, but goalkeeper Conde managed to dispossess him with an outstretched leg.

Villarreal appealed for a penalty early in the second half when Aurelien Tchouameni, playing at centre-back, pulled down Barry, but the French striker was offside.

Baena hit the side-netting of Andriy Lunin‘s goal with a free-kick, nearly catching out the Ukrainian goalkeeper standing in for the injured Thibaut Courtois.

Vinicius flashed a shot narrowly wide, before his strike partner Mbappe was replaced with 20 minutes to go by Rodrygo Goes.

Brazil striker Vinicius, who is hoping to win a first Ballon d’Or later in October, netted the second with a superb effort from outside the area, which ripped into the top corner.

Carvajal hurt

In stoppage time, Spanish right-back Carvajal suffered an injury while attempting to clear the ball under pressure from Yeremi Pino.

“In the end, the result’s a less important thing — Dani’s health is what matters,” Valverde told Real Madrid TV.

“The game was fine, it was neither very good or bad, it was what we had to do to win, two goals was enough.”

Villarreal defender Raul Albiol was also concerned about Carvajal.

“It looked bad… let’s hope it’s the least (damage) possible, because we all know how important he is for Real Madrid and Spanish football,” he said.

The centre-back said Madrid were efficient with their finishing and that made the difference.

“They have a lot of attacking punch and more or less with three chances they had two goals,” he said.

Earlier, nine-man Celta Vigo earned a 1-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Las Palmas.

The Canary Islanders were unable to record their first win of the season even after Ilaix Moriba and Iago Aspas‘ red cards for Celta, who climbed to ninth thanks to Borja Iglesias’ goal.

Osasuna moved into fifth with a 1-1 draw at Getafe, while Espanyol beat Mallorca 2-1 and Rayo Vallecano won at Valladolid by the same score.

Reigning Spanish and European champions Real Madrid have started the season below their brilliant best and this week finally tumbled to a first defeat since January. Carlo Ancelotti’s side were beaten at Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday and trail Hansi Flick’s Barcelona by three points in La Liga. Madrid host Villarreal on Saturday aiming to pull level on points with their Catalan rivals at the top of the table for the first time this season.

Los Blancos began the campaign with a draw at Mallorca on the first day of the season and have been playing catch-up since then.

Barca won their first seven matches in a row but finally stumbled last weekend at Osasuna.

Madrid could not take full advantage as they were held to a 1-1 draw by neighbours Atletico Madrid, but can put pressure on Barca, who visit Alaves on Sunday, with a victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.

To achieve that against an enterprising Villarreal side just a point behind Madrid in third, they will have to raise their game significantly.

Madrid came undone in the north of France, suffering their first loss in 37 matches across all competitions.

“When we lost the derby (against Atletico) last year it was a fantastic wake-up call and hopefully this defeat can also be a fantastic wake-up call,” said Ancelotti.

“We did everything wrong — with the ball, transitions, the intensity, we lost the duels… we have to look at things with a cool head and not throw everything away, but we have to improve.”

Madrid were able to bring on Kylian Mbappe against Lille after a thigh injury and the French striker could start against Villarreal.

As strong as the Yellow Submarine have been, spearheaded by Spain international Ayoze Perez, they have conceded in every match so far this season.

Madrid still seem to be struggling without midfield maestro Toni Kroos, who retired after helping the team to a La Liga and Champions League double.

Los Blancos will also line up with Ukrainian goalkeeper Andre Lunin between the sticks with Thibaut Courtois out injured.

“We have to analyse and improve in the next game because there is no time — there are many games and we have to win,” said Lunin after the Lille defeat.

Villarreal may be without Perez, who missed Monday’s win over Las Palmas with muscular discomfort and Gerard Moreno is also sidelined, but striker Thierno Barry is finding form for Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side.

The French striker scored and got an assist as Villarreal moved up to third with the 3-1 win.

Girona and Atletico Madrid also suffered Champions League defeats on Wednesday and both are in action on Sunday, against tricky Basque sides Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad respectively.

Player to watch: Jesus Navas

The Spanish veteran wide man will play in the Seville derby for what is due to be the final time of his career, and become the player with the most appearances in the clash’s history — he has played in it 27 times, level with Real Betis legend Joaquin Sanchez. Sevilla’s Navas, who turns 39 in November, is playing through a long-term hip problem, and is due to retire in December.

Key stats

4 – Barcelona have given away four penalties in their last 15 league matches

27 – Las Palmas have used the most players this season in La Liga

29 – Getafe’s hulking striker Christantus Uche has won more fouls than any other player

Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha struck twice each as La Liga leaders Barcelona romped to a 5-1 win at Villarreal on Sunday but were left fearing a “huge” knee injury to goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Atletico Madrid, fourth, were held to a 1-1 draw at city rivals Rayo Vallecano as Conor Gallagher netted his second goal for the Rojiblancos. Barcelona’s sixth league triumph in six games was marred by Ter Stegen being taken off on a stretcher after falling awkwardly having collected a cross, with early reports suggesting he could miss the rest of the season.

“I think it will be a huge injury, when he laid down on the field… you can see it directly,” Barcelona coach Hansi Flick told DAZN.

Lewandowski netted Barcelona’s first two goals and later missed a penalty in a thoroughly entertaining battle on Spain’s east coast at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica.

Ayoze Perez pulled his team back into the game shortly before half-time and the previously unbeaten hosts had two goals disallowed, with Pablo Torre and Raphinha’s strikes cementing Barcelona’s victory.

After second-placed Real Madrid thrashed Espanyol 4-1 on Saturday the Catalans were able to restore a four-point lead on the champions.

“It’s very important for us that we played a game away from home, we scored five goals and in the end we have three points,” said Lewandowski.

“In the end it doesn’t matter how, as long as we win that’s perfect.”

Flick gave Eric Garcia another start in defensive midfield despite his early red card against Monaco in the Champions League midweek defeat.

The German coach also started reserve team players Gerard Martin and Sergi Dominguez, as well as playmaker Torre in place of the injured Dani Olmo.

Teenage star Lamine Yamal hit the post early on before Lewandowski slotted home in the 20th minute after Torre slipped him in.

Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Conde did well to keep out a bundled effort from the Polish striker but Lewandowski pounced after 35 minutes for his second.

Conde saved Garcia’s header well but the former Bayern Munich hitman converted the rebound with an acrobatic finish from close range.

It was his sixth La Liga goal of the season, taking him two clear of Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe in Spain’s golden boot race.

‘Special person’

Villarreal were frequently threatening on the counter and Perez gave them a lifeline after the electric Nicolas Pepe set him up.

Ter Stegen thwarted Pepe with a sensational save one-on-one before half-time but the German Barca captain was soon stricken as he fell badly after catching a corner before the break and was replaced by Inaki Pena.

Pepe finished brilliantly early in the second half but his effort was disallowed for a marginal offside call, and Yeremy Pino hit the bar with a header as Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side drove Barcelona back.

Torre extended Barca’s lead with a deflected strike from the edge of the box, a killer blow given Villarreal’s momentum.

Lewandowski hit the post from the spot after Eric Bailly scythed down Yamal and Villarreal’s Thierno Barry had a goal ruled out for offside.

Raphinha ended any hopes of a home comeback, first with a deflected shot and then finishing after a superb Yamal pass left him with just Conde to beat.

“(Ter Stegen) is a very special and important person in the dressing room, this victory is 100 percent for him,” Raphinha told DAZN.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois wrote Ter Stegen a message on social media platform X.

“It hurt me a lot to see you leave the pitch like that,” wrote the Belgian stopper.

“I hope you can recover soon and we see you again in goal.”

In a Madrid derby clash Diego Simeone’s unbeaten Atletico could not find a way past Rayo Vallecano.

Rayo’s Isi Palazon slammed home from close range after 35 minutes and the goal was eventually given after initially being ruled offside.

However Gallagher finished neatly from the edge of the box early in the second half when Alexander Sorloth fed the England international.

“(At half-time Simeone) told us we all had to run, these days anyone who is not running here cannot play,” Atletico captain Koke told Movistar.

“We had chances to get the winner but it wasn’t to be.”

Athletic Bilbao overtook Atletico to move into third with a 3-1 win against Celta Vigo.

Anastasios Douvikas netted late on to snatch Celta victory at Balaidos vs Villarreal.© AFP