Real Madrid draw level with Barcelona as Mbappé prevents Leganés upset.
Defending champions Real Madrid staged a comeback to defeat relegation-threatened Leganés 3-2 in LaLiga. Kylian Mbappé netted a brace to help Madrid outgun a resilient Leganés side, leveling the points with Barcelona at the top of the table, while Atlético Madrid’s title hopes faded further.
The match, expected to be a routine win for Madrid, turned out to be far from easy as Leganés proved more formidable than anticipated at the Santiago Bernabéu. After Mbappé converted a penalty in the 32nd minute, Leganés shocked the home crowd by equalizing shortly after the break. Left-back Valentin Rosier broke free on the right, crossing for Oscar Rodríguez, whose mis-hit shot was tapped in by Diego García.
Leganés took the lead again in the 41st minute. Rosier intercepted Brahim Díaz’s pass and surged down the center of the field before playing Rodríguez through, who then laid the ball off to Dani Raba to score.
Despite continued Leganés threats, Madrid capitalized in the second half. Jude Bellingham levelled the score, pouncing on a rebound, before Mbappé completed his brace with a free-kick that curved past the wall and inside the post, following a controversial foul call against Leganés.
Mbappé now has 22 goals in LaLiga, just one behind Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski. Barcelona can restore their three-point lead when they host Girona on Sunday.
Atlético Madrid’s Title Hopes Diminish
Atlético Madrid’s 1-1 draw at Espanyol left them six points behind the league leaders with only nine rounds remaining. César Azpilicueta gave Atlético the lead with a stunning volley from outside the box in the 38th minute, his first LaLiga goal. However, Espanyol responded in the second half, with Javi Puado converting a penalty in the 71st minute after Clement Lenglet fouled Leandro Cabrera in the box.
Atlético, who led the league in January, have faltered in March, with losses to Getafe, Barcelona, and two defeats to Madrid in the Champions League round of 16. Their struggles have put their title hopes in jeopardy. Atlético goalkeeper Jan Oblak expressed frustration, emphasizing that the team’s inconsistency is costing them crucial points.
“Two more important points have gotten away from us,” said Oblak. “We talked in January about the need for consistency to compete for the title, and we’re not showing it.”
Oblak stressed that Atlético must regroup for their Copa del Rey semifinal second leg against Barcelona, as they aim to salvage a trophy this season. Coach Diego Simeone stated the title race will likely be decided in the final five rounds of the campaign.
Espanyol, currently 15th, extended their unbeaten home run to nine games, which included a surprise victory over Real Madrid. Atlético’s Robin Le Normand was forced off after a head collision with an Espanyol player.
Antoine Griezmann also made history, surpassing Lionel Messi’s record for most games played by a foreign player in LaLiga, reaching 521 appearances.
In other results, Real Sociedad secured a 2-1 victory over last-placed Valladolid, with Mikel Oyarzabal and Sergio Gómez scoring. Rayo Vallecano boosted their survival hopes with a 2-0 win at Alavés, leaving the latter in the relegation zone.
