Spain: Real Madrid in management against Villarreal, Mbappé in his legs

Surprise starter at kick-off when he was not yet 100% recovered from his muscle injury according to his coach Carlo Ancelotti, the captain of the Blues, absent from Didier Deschamps’ list for the two Nations League matches against Israel (October 10) and Belgium (October 14), was not decisive but showed good form before leaving to the applause of the Santiago Bernabéu in the 70th minute.

The reigning Spanish champion, collectively much more in place than in Lille on Wednesday (1-0), where he conceded his first defeat since January 2023, won thanks to a great strike from his Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde (14th, 1-0) and a cannon shot from the Brazilian Vinicius Junior (73rd, 2-0), to continue his impressive series of 41 matches without defeat in the championship.

In terms of accounting, Real (2nd, 21 points) returns to the level of its great rival FC Barcelona (1st, also 21 points), which must return to success on Sunday at Alavés (3:15 p.m.) after its first setback against Osasuna ( 4-2) last weekend.