Vinicius double helps Real Madrid beat Villarreal

MADRID: Vinicius Junior fired Real Madrid to the top of La Liga with a brace in a 3-1 win over Villarreal on Saturday, while Kylian Mbappe was also on target.
Los Blancos moved two points clear of champions Barcelona, who visit Sevilla on Sunday, as they bounced back from last week’s derby drubbing.
Having returned from their long midweek trip to Kazakhstan, where they beat Kairat in the Champions League, Madrid turned their focus back to domestic matters.
Thrashed 5-2 by city rivals Atletico Madrid last weekend, Xabi Alonso’s side had plenty to prove against a strong Villarreal team, who are third.
“I played very well and I want to continue like this, keeping this confidence and doing even more,” Vinicius told Real Madrid TV.
“We have good feelings...

when we come back (from the international break) we have big games and we need confidence,” added Vinicius.
The winger did not start the season well but has found form in recent outings.
“Vini had a very good game and he was decisive, I’m very happy for him,” Alonso told reporters.
Alonso brought Fede Valverde back into the team, playing him at right-back in the absence of injured duo Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Madrid had the better of a slow-paced first half at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Teenage attacker Franco Mastantuono might have sent Los Blancos ahead but Villarreal defender Renato Veiga blocked his shot after Mbappe cut the ball back to him.
At the other end, Thibaut Courtois saved superbly from Tani Oluwaseyi, who snuck in behind the center-backs but could not beat Madrid’s Belgian goalkeeper.
Los Blancos took the lead early in the second half through Vinicius, whose shot took a fortunate deflection off Santi Comesana and flew past the helpless Arnau