Real Madrid leads Villarreal 1-0 in La Liga going into halftime after a great goal from Federico Valverde. In their last match before the international break, Los Blancos took on the Yellow Submarine in a matchup between the teams ranked second and third in the standings.
Though they had a starting lineup that included the back-from-holiday Kylian Mbappe, the breakthrough came from an odd choice. Federico Valverde, who is from Uruguay, has a reputation for hitting long-range shots with accuracy. This time, he set up a quick corner shot that deflected slightly and went in.
🚨🚨| GOAL: WHAT A GOAL FROM VALVERDE!!!!
— CentreMadrid. (@centreofmadrid) October 5, 2024
Real Madrid 1-0 Villarreal
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This season, Real Madrid has won every one of its home league games, and the hosts have a significant lead at halftime thanks to Federico Valverde's thunderous strike. Nonetheless, Villarreal has an undefeated record away from home in 2024–2025; yet, the Spanish international's secret late goal weapon, Ayoze Perez, is not present in Madrid because of a muscular injury.
Jhon Duran set to join Real Madrid next year?
Jhon Duran, the attacking player for Aston Villa, is being watched by Real Madrid as a potential 2025 transfer target. Even with their plenty of attacking options in the Spanish capital, Los Blancos are reportedly willing to add another forward option.
Jhon Duran, who is mostly utilized as an impact replacement for Villa, has scored four goals in the Premier League thus far this season. He went off the bench in midweek, and scored the match-winning goal in Villa’s very first home UEFA Champions League match, up versus Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich.
The Colombian international shot to prominence in Europe after that goal, and reports suggest Real Madrid is interested in the 20-year-old, who was linked to FC Barcelona earlier in the summer. Football Insider reports claim that the Spanish capital has "concrete interest" in Jhon Duran. However, considering that Duran's contract expires in 2028, Villa may demand at least £50 million before considering a summer transfer.