Kylian Mbappe's first-half brace sealed another comeback win for Real Madrid as they triumphed over Villarreal with a score of 2-1 on March 16, 2025. This victory catapults Real Madrid to the top of La Liga, now three points clear of their closest rivals, Barcelona.
The match began with Villarreal taking the lead, thanks to Juan Foyth, who scored just before midway through the first half. Their lead, though, was short-lived. Mbappe quickly turned the tide, scoring two goals—his 19th and 20th of the season—bringing his total to 30 across all competitions. His efforts not only demonstrated his prowess but also highlighted Madrid's resilience after facing pressure from Villarreal's initial goal.
Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid's goalkeeper, played a pivotal role, executing several key saves throughout the match, ensuring his team's comeback was complete and solidifying their lead at the La Liga summit.
Meanwhile, Villarreal's defeat marks their latest setback, leaving them five points adrift of the top four—a disappointing trend as they seek to stabilize their position amid intense competition.
Other matches also contributed to the weekend’s buzz. Real Mallorca kept their hopes alive for a top-six finish, edging Espanyol 2-1 thanks to Kosovar striker Vedat Muriqi's late penalty. Earlier, Muriqi had inadvertently scored an own goal, allowing Espanyol to take the lead. But Mallorca rebounded, with Takuma Ashton netting the equalizer before Muriqi secured victory.
Meanwhile, Celta Vigo's Marcos Alonso scored from the penalty spot, granting them a narrow 1-0 victory over Real Valladolid, which bolstered their bid for the top six as well.
Across the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich maintained their position at the top of the table, though they were held to a 1-1 draw by Union Berlin. Leroy Sane had briefly nudged Bayern ahead, but Benedikt Hollbach's late goal ensured the teams shared the spoils.
Barcelona, competing closely for the league crown, managed to cling to third place, even after the drama of their 2-2 draw against Freiburg. Jonathan Burkardt's opening goal for Freiburg was negated twice, with Barcelona losing their lead on two occasions after Dominik Kohr received a red card.
Borussia Mönchengladbach also made waves this weekend, as Alasan Plea registered a hat-trick during their 4-2 victory against Werder Bremen, solidifying their place up the table. Borussia Dortmund, on the other hand, suffered disappointment, losing 2-0 to Leipzig and slipping to fifth place.
Elsewhere, Augsburg managed to secure a slim 1-0 win at home against Wolfsburg, with Phillip Tietz’s second-half goal pushing them closer to the upper echelons of the Bundesliga.
Switching gears to Serie A, Dele Alli made headlines for his brief return to competitive soccer, which abruptly ended after just nine minutes during his match against AC Milan. After Milan took the lead via Lucas Da Cunha, Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic and Tijjani Reijnders staged strong comebacks with their goals. Alli, who had only entered the fray minutes before, received both yellow and red cards from VAR scrutiny after committing a foul on Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Meanwhile, Hellas Verona and Torino each snatched 1-0 victories against Udinese and Empoli, respectively, as Monza concluded their match against Parma with a 1-1 draw.
Turning to Ligue 1, Monaco secured third place for Champions League qualification with Mica Biyet and Magnes Akliouche’s contributions leading the charge to a 2-0 win over Angers. This victory reinforced Monaco's aspirations, though Lille's top-three ambitions took a hit following their loss to ten-man Nantes.
Rennes also celebrated success, overcoming Lens with a 1-0 win at home, marking another important result as the season approaches its end.
While this weekend’s matches showcased talent and determination across European leagues, Real Madrid remains exemplary, demonstrating both prowess and the potential to command La Liga, led by none other than their star striker, Kylian Mbappe.