Vinícius Júnior scores 2 and Mbappé-less Real Madrid beats Real Sociedad 4-1 to move top in Spain

MADRID (AP) — Vinícius Júnior scored two penalties and a Real Madrid team without superstar Kylian Mbappé moved top of La Liga with a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday.

Mbappé watched from the substitutes’ bench after missing some team training sessions during the week with discomfort in his left knee. Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa said Friday he was able to play, but evidently he did not want to rush his star goal-getter.

Nor did he need to.

Mbappé and Jude Bellingham, out with a hamstring injury, watched as Madrid produced an assured team performance to end the visitors’ 10-game unbeaten run across all competitions and move two points clear of Barcelona before the defending champion visits Girona on Monday.

“I think we did a spectacular job defensively and up front as well,” said team captain Fede Valverde, who scored his first goal of the season. "We had so many chances, but we just couldn’t convert them. It’s true they had some, too, but (goalkeeper Thibaut) Courtois was tremendous. It was a great match from the whole team.”

Perhaps Tuesday’s team-dinner at a fancy restaurant paid for by Mbappé and Vinícius helped focus the players before facing Benfica in the Champions League playoffs next week.

Gonzalo García opened the scoring with a slight touch to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross in the fifth minute. However, it was to be a largely frustrating game for the young attacker, who failed to make more of other good opportunities.

Dean Huijsen conceded a penalty for bringing down Yangel Herrera, and Mikel Oyarzabal duly equalized from the spot with a hard high centrally placed shot in the 21st.

Referee Francisco José Hernández Maeso awarded another penalty at the other end four minutes later when Jon Aramburu caught Vinícius’ ankle, bringing him down. The Brazilian dusted himself off to score from the spot in the 25th.

Valverde gratefully scored the third in the 31st after being left too much space at the edge of the penalty box, and Gonzalo should have scored again when Valverde set him up for what looked like a simple tap in.

Vinícius made it 4-1 with his second spot kick after the break, awarded after Aramburu was again penalized for bringing him down.

Dani Carvajal made his long-awaited return around the hour mark when he replaced Alexander-Arnold for his first league appearance since Madrid’s 2-1 loss to Barcelona in October. Carvajal was reportedly unhappy that the 21-year-old Castilla player David Jiménez played at right back in Valencia last weekend.

“The most important thing is to win, for the team to get the three points and keep this momentum going,” Valverde said after the team's eighth league victory in a row.

Borja Iglesias scored in stoppage time, after having another seemingly good goal ruled out through VAR, to salvage a 2-2 draw for Celta Vigo at Espanyol.

A rueful Iglesias shook his head and smiled after having a 77th-minute goal disallowed when a long check determined there had been an offside infringement.

His frustrations grew when Ramón Terrats pulled the ball back for fellow substitute Tyrhys Dolan to score what he thought was the winner for Espanyol in the 86th.

But Iglesias equalized in the third minute of stoppage time when Pablo Durán set him up with his heel after a good run from Sergio Carreira.

Espanyol remained sixth and Celta a point behind in seventh.

Also Saturday, Getafe held on to upset visiting Villarreal 2-1, and 10-man Sevilla drew with Alaves 1-1 in a duel between two strugglers.

Sevilla midfielder Juanlu was sent off in the 16th minute with his second yellow card for a bad challenge.

Sevilla coach Matías Almeyda was also sent off, late, and he raged against the referee before he could be persuaded to leave.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe sits on the bench prior to the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates scoring his side's 4th goal from the penalty spot during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, top left, scores a goal that was disallowed by the VAR during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, right, dribbles the ball past Real Sociedad's Jon Martin during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates scoring his side's 4th goal from the penalty spot during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo says he’s healthy and wants to play even as the Milwaukee Bucks continue to say the two-time MVP is too injured to take the floor.

Antetokounmpo missed a 10th straight game on Friday night against the Boston Celtics due to what the team has described as a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. Antetokounmpo hasn’t played since landing awkwardly during a March 15 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

“I’m healthy,” Antetokounmpo told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and The Athletic before Friday’s game. “I hate it when people force me to do things against my nature. I’m a player. I get paid to play.”

For the last couple of weeks, Antetokounmpo has participated in pregame warmups without showing any apparent signs of injury.

Antetokounmpo also noted that the Bucks should have known this about him since the 31-year-old has spent his entire 13-year career in Milwaukee.

Throughout that time, Antetokounmpo has had a reputation for rapid returns from injury, most notably when he hyperextended his knee during Milwaukee’s 2021 playoff run but missed two games before returning to lead the Bucks to their first title in half a century.

“You know who you’re dealing with,” Antetokounmpo told reporters. “So, for somebody to come and tell me to not play or to not compete, it’s like a slap in my face.”

The Bucks still had a remote chance of earning a 10th straight playoff berth at the time of that Indiana game, but they were officially eliminated from contention last week. There’s also the possibility of Antetokounmpo getting hurt again if he returns to action — he has missed a career-high 41 games this season and had two extended absences due to calf strains.

“I understand the circumstances — yes, we’re not going to be in the playoffs,” Antetokounmpo said. “For some people’s eyes, it’s not worth it for me to be out there. But for me, it’s something that goes against my nature.”

Antetokounmpo also wanted the opportunity to play alongside his younger brother, Alex, who made his NBA debut Sunday. There was a possibility of three Antetokounmpo brothers playing alongside each other in the same game, since Giannis’ older brother, Thanasis, also is on the Bucks.

“When my dad passed away, I pretty much raised (Alex),” Antetokounmpo said. “He’s able to be on the team and suit up and chase an opportunity to be great. You really think I don’t want to suit up and play with my brother? Anybody who thinks that is an idiot.”

Antetokounmpo’s desire to play — and the Bucks’ wishes to rest him — drew the attention of the National Basketball Players Association last month.

“The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court,” the union said in a statement. “Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked. We look forward to collaborating with the NBA on meaningful new proposals that will directly address and discourage tanking.”

This dispute between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks comes at a time when his future in Milwaukee is uncertain. Antetokounmpo’s name dominated league-wide discussions leading up to the trade deadline, though the Bucks ultimately kept him.

Antetokounmpo becomes eligible to sign a four-year contract extension worth up to $275 million in October. If he doesn’t sign the extension, Antetokounmpo could become a free agent after the 2026-27 season, or the Bucks could decide to trade him beforehand.

Now they find themselves at odds over how to handle the rest of this season.

“I don’t know where the relationship goes from there,” Antetokounmpo said. “We’ve got to go to couples therapy.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Injured Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, center right, talks with an official, center left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)