Real Madrid leapfrogged Barcelona to go – at least temporarily – top of LaLiga, with Vinicius Junior scoring two penalties in a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad.

Ahead of the Blaugrana making the short trip to Girona on Monday, Alvaro Arbeloa’s men had a chance to move two points clear at the summit, and they grasped that opportunity.

Despite Kylian Mbappe only being fit enough for a place on the bench, Madrid took a fifth-minute lead as Trent Alexander-Arnold – who was back in the lineup after recovering from injury – saw a sensational delivery turned home by Gonzalo Garcia.

Real Sociedad drew level in the 21st minute, with Mikel Oyarzabal holding his nerve from 12 yards after Dean Huijsen clumsily conceded a penalty, but within four further minutes, the ball was on the spot at the other end.

Jon Aramburu felled Vinicius in the area, with the Brazilian picking himself up to roll his penalty in the bottom corner and re-establish Madrid’s lead.

And it was 3-1 in the 31st minute, with Federico Valverde sending a trademark strike from distance into the top-right corner, following a simple lay-off from Alvaro Carreras.

Garcia passed up a massive chance to make it 4-1 just before half-time, but Madrid did have further breathing room when Vinicius won and converted another penalty in the first 67 seconds of the second half – with Aramburu again the guilty party for La Real.

Jon Martin and Carlos Soler passed up chances to get Real Sociedad back within two goals, while Vinicius saw a potential hat-trick goal chalked off for offside, as Madrid made it five straight LaLiga wins under Arbeloa.

Data Debrief: Vinicius doubles up as Aramburu pays the penalty

Real Madrid have now won 13 penalties in LaLiga this season – at least four more than any other team in Europe’s top five leagues (Bayern Munich have nine in the Bundesliga).

And Vinicius kept his cool from the spot on both occasions, becoming only the second player on record to win and score two or more penalties in the same LaLiga match, after Neymar did so for Barca against Rayo Vallecano in October 2015.

Aramburu, meanwhile, became the first player to concede multiple penalties in a LaLiga match since December 2023, when Juanlu Sanchez did so for Sevilla versus Getafe.

Those spot-kicks massively boosted the expected goals (xG) figures, as Madrid had just 11 shots but amassed 3.1 xG, compared to La Real’s 13 shots and 1.67 xG.