Pizza on the Bus: Real Madrid's Whimsical Title Charge After Villarreal

Highlights

Real Madrid celebrated after a 2-0 win over Villarreal on Saturday, in La Liga round 23.

Match atmosphere and numbers

The Spanish TV show El Chiringuito shared footage showing a pizza arriving at the Real Madrid bus before leaving the Estadio de La Cerámica.

Mbappe scored the team’s goals in the 47th and 94th minutes via penalties, boosting his Liga tally to 21 this season, seven of them from penalties.

The victory temporarily put Real Madrid on top with 51 points, two clear of reigning champions Barcelona who face Osasuna in the same round.

According to statisticians, Real Madrid now has 10 league penalties this season with 17 rounds left.

If they maintain or exceed their current pace, they could surpass their own 2024-25 record of 14 penalties, or even threaten Barcelona’s 19 in 2015-16.

The social moment and broader context

The bus footage circulating online sparked memes and playful banter about the team's new 'pizza tactic' on the road these days.

Meanwhile, Mbappe's brace sealed the win and kept Madrid on track for the title.

Fans in Madrid celebrated with pizza-themed chants, while analysts noted the potential impact of such celebrations on team morale.

With 17 games remaining, Real Madrid still faces a busy schedule, and fans will be hoping this viral pizza moment translates into more goals and points as the season heats up.

As the transfer window looms, the humor around pizza may fade, but the image of a bus-load of players sharing a slice could stick around.

Punchline 1: If pizza is the fuel, then Real Madrid's engine runs on mozzarella and memes.

Punchline 2: And if the refs start flagging penalties like toppings, at least the VAR will have extra cheese to review.