An idea from Jude Bellingham With a big win over Villarreal, Real Madrid moved seven points ahead of Barcelona and eight points ahead of Atletico Madrid. But their joy at being back on top of La Liga was tempered by what looked like a major injury to David Alaba.

“Hey Jude” rang through the Bernabeu as Bellingham scored the first goal, bringing his amazing total to 17 in 20 games across all competitions. However, it wasn’t all good news as Alaba was taken off in the first half with what looked like a torn cruciate ligament.

The game was tied at 0-0 after 25 minutes, but Bellingham scored a goal like a center forward to break the tie. Luka Modric sent a beautiful cross into the middle from the right side of the field, where Lucas Vazquez met it. Bellingham then powered a header past Filip Jorgensen.

After 12 minutes, Rodrygo doubled Madrid’s lead when Villarreal failed to clear Modric’s corner. The Brazilian swept the ball in from just inside the six-yard box, scoring his ninth goal in eleven games.

In between the goals, Alaba had that terrible moment. He was pushing Gerard Moreno from behind, and it looked like he hurt his left knee badly. Nacho came on, and he and Antonio Rudiger are now the only two players left in the middle of Real Madrid’s defense.

When Madrid first saw the injury, they only said it looked bad. If the worst is true and Alaba has torn his cruciate ligament, then they will have to buy a new player in January. This is an injury that goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and center-back Edu Militao have already experienced this season.

Not long after the break, Jose Luis Morales scored for Villarreal after a pass from Ramon Terrats found him behind Antonio Rudiger. The score was 2-1. Since Marcelino took over the team, Morales has scored five league goals.

But by the 64th minute, the lead was back to two goals after Brahim Diaz scored a great third goal for Real Madrid.

On the half-way line, he turned away from Aisa Mandi and took the ball into the penalty area. There, he sent Jorge Cuenca, Mandi’s partner in defense, the wrong way before shooting past Jorgensen.

The fourth one came after only four minutes. 

While Rodrygo’s shot was stopped, Etienne Capoue played the ball back into trouble. The ball then found Modric, who scored his first goal of the season. Madrid was in a great mood now. 

Adria Altimira was trying to take Bellingham’s shirt off, and all Bellingham did was try to push Altimira off of him. His held out hand toward Altimira’s face was punished in the same way that Altimira’s long shirt pull was.