Mbappé Misses Two Big Chances as Real Madrid Struggle Against Villarreal

Kylian Mbappé came close to putting Real Madrid ahead against Villarreal, but two promising opportunities went unfinished during the opening half at the Santiago Bernabéu.

The French forward threatened the visitors’ defence on two occasions, only to be denied by the woodwork and goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi. Despite Madrid creating openings, the teams went into half-time without a goal.

Mbappé hits the post in early Madrid attack

Real Madrid created their first major opportunity in the seventh minute through a move involving Arda Güler and Álvaro Carreras.

The combination opened space for Mbappé, who found himself in a promising position to finish the attack. However, his attempt struck the post, allowing Villarreal to escape without conceding.

It was an early warning for the visitors, as Madrid looked to make their attacking pressure count in front of their home supporters.

Gulácsi denies Mbappé again

Mbappé had another opportunity in the 21st minute after Trent Alexander-Arnold delivered an excellent long pass from deep inside Madrid’s half.

The pass sent the forward racing towards goal, where he used his pace to get beyond a Villarreal defender before attempting to finish the move.

This time, Gulácsi was in the right position to stop the shot. The goalkeeper dealt with the effort and prevented Madrid from taking the lead.

Real Madrid left searching for the breakthrough

The two missed opportunities highlighted Madrid’s ability to create dangerous attacking situations, but the team could not convert those openings into a goal before the interval.

For Mbappé, the first half offered clear chances to make an impact, yet the post and Gulácsi stood between him and the scoresheet.

Madrid would need greater precision in front of goal to turn their attacking threat into a decisive advantage against a Villarreal side that had managed to keep the match level at half-time.