La Liga 2023-24, Real Madrid humble Villarreal 4-1: Key stats
Real Madrid ran 4-1 winners against Villarreal on matchday 17 of the 2023-24 La Liga season. With this win, Real have gone top of La Liga but could drop down to second if Girona down Alaves on Monday. The in-form duo of Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo handed Real a 2-0 lead. Jose Morales pulled one back for Villarreal before Real scored twice. Here's more.
Match stats and points table
Real clocked 22 attempts with nine shots on target. Villarreal had three attempts and scored from their only shot on target. Carlo Ancelotti's men had a 61% ball possession, besides managing a pass accuracy of 91%. Real earned 14 corners to Villarreal's nil. After 17 matches, Real have raced to 42 points (W13). They are a point above second-placed Girona (41).
A unique record for Bellingham
Bellingham now has 13 La Liga goals this season. As per Opta, he is the joint-second-fastest to 13 goals in La Liga, equaling Cristiano Ronaldo (15 matches). Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski holds the record. He attained the same in 12 matches. However, Bellingham at the age of 20 years and 171 days is the youngest amongst the three to reach 13 goals.
15 goals involvement for Bellingham in La Liga
Bellingham is the first player in La Liga 2023-24 to reach 15 goals involvement. Besides his 13 goals, the English midfielder also owns two assists. Meanwhile, across competitions, Bellingham has scored 17 goals, besides clocking five assists.
Rodrygo maintains his form
Rodrygo has now scored nine goals in his last 11 games for Real Madrid in all competitions. He had scored just one goal in his first 12 games of the season. In 23 matches across competitions this season, Rodrygo has clocked 10 goals. He also owns six assists. Overall, the Brazilian winger owns 47 goals in 188 appearances for Los Blancos.
Records for Diaz and Modric
Brahim Díaz scored Real's third goal. He has now been directly involved in a goal in three consecutive games (G2 A1) for the first time in his career in Europe's big five leagues (123 appearances). Luka Modric scored and assisted in a game for the fifth time (341 appearances), becoming the oldest player (38y 99d) to score and assist in a game this season.
Real attain this special record
Real have scored 38 goals, besides conceding just 11 goals after 17 games in La Liga 2023-24. This is now their lowest tally (goals conceded) in a single campaign at this stage of the competition since 1971-72 (also 11).
How did the match pan out?
Bellingham headed in a superb cross from Modric before Rodrygo added a second for Real after an offside decision was overturned by VAR. Morales halved the deficit but Diaz and Modric scored within four minutes of each other to seal three crucial points.
