Real Madrid’s No. 10 Croatian midfielder Luka Modric celebrates his team’s fourth goal in the Spanish soccer league against Villarreal CF at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on Sunday. (Photo via Thomas COEX/AFP)
Real Madrid cruised to a 4-1 win over Villarreal on Sunday to move top of La Liga but their night was tarnished when defender David Alaba suffered a serious knee injury.ALSO READ: Battling Man Utd hold Liverpool as Arsenal top Premier League
Carlo Ancelotti’s side are a point ahead of Catalan minnows Girona, who host Alaves on Monday and will be looking to reclaim pole position.
Spain’s top scorer Jude Bellingham broke the deadlock for Madrid with his 13th league goal of the season before Rodrygo Goes doubled their lead.
Villarreal pulled one back through Jose Luis Morales, but Brahim Diaz scored a fine solo goal to regain Madrid’s lead.
Luka Modric scored the fourth goal as Madrid fans celebrated a win in their final home game of the year.
Madrid’s joy was tempered by Alaba’s injury, confirmed by the club in a statement, saying the defender needs surgery.
The Austrian joins a long list of absentees, Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao and Eduardo Camavinga, all with knee injuries, and winger Vinicius Junior, among others.
Ancelotti said Alaba’s injury was “very sad” but praised his team’s performance.
“We think we’re doing very well, it’s one of our most productive games,” said the coach.
The focus of the night is Diaz’s beautiful individual shot.
“It’s the kind of move I try, today it happened, so I’m very happy,” Diaz told Real Madrid TV.
“(I’m satisfied) with the team’s work, we did a wonderful job and I’m satisfied with the goal and the win. “
Former Manchester City midfielder Diaz is striking up a fruitful relationship with Bellingham and Rodrygo in attack.
“We perceive each other well, we all get along well because it is a group, we are very united and that shows on the field,” he added.
Ancelotti has relied on English foreigner Bellingham to play an attacking role this season with Madrid and it is paying off in virtually every single game.
The 20-year-old scored his 17th goal in all competitions in his 20th game this season after Madrid saw third-placed rivals Barcelona take on Valencia on Saturday.
Madrid, playing at the renovated Santiago Bernabeu with the new roof closed for the second time, made their first appearance against Villarreal.
They received their praise midway through the first half when Bellingham jumped up to greet Modric’s delightful cut cross.
After Alaba was injured while trying to challenge Gerard Moreno, Rodrygo doubled the lead from close range.
It was the Brazilian’s eighth goal in his last eight games for Real Madrid, continuing his own superb goalscoring form of late after a slow start to the campaign.
Early in the second half, Villarreal pulled one back, with Morales finishing past Andriy Lunin, selected over Kepa Arrizabalaga.
But Diaz ended the visitors’ hopes when he brilliantly pulled away from Aissa Mandi in midfield, advanced, beat Jorge Cuenca and finished with ease.
After Modric scored the fourth goal, Madrid fans chanted “ole” as their team passed the ball past a frustrated Villarreal.
Madrid now have 38 goals in La Liga, equalling Girona’s tally as the top scorer to date.
Midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni returned from injury as a substitute in Los Blancos’ final, which moved seven points clear of third-placed Barcelona.
“It’s always good to build an advantage on Barca but there’s a long way to go in the league and we have to continue with this mentality,” said Rodrygo.ALSO READ: Spurs sink Forest to maintain revival
Marcelino’s Villarreal languishes in 14th place, three places from the relegation zone.
Earlier Real Sociedad and Real Betis shared the spoils in an intense 0-0 draw on Sunday in La Liga.
Both lost ground to fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao, who beat fourth-placed Atlético Madrid on Saturday.
La Real, sixth, trail their Basque rivals by two points, while Betis, seventh, are five points behind Athletic.
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