MADRID: Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe struck twice to help his side come from behind to claim a hard-fought 3-2 home win over relegation-threatened Lega­nes on Saturday to remain in the second place.

Real have 63 points from 29 matches along with Barca, who host Girona. Third-placed Atletico Madrid dropped points in a 1-1 draw at Espanyol earlier on Saturday and are now six points off the pace with 57.

“It was a difficult match. After the international break it’s always difficult,” Mbappe told RMTV.

The hosts made a dominant start and opened the scoring after 32 minutes when Mbappe coolly chipped in a penalty, awarded after Oscar Rodriguez brought down Arda Guler.

However, Leganes responded almost immediately as Diego Garcia tapped in a loose ball at the far post to equalise in the following minute before Rodriguez set up Dani Raba to slot past goalkeeper Andriy Lunin in the 41st.

Real midfielder Jude Bellin­gham brought the scores level two minutes after the break, sliding the ball into the net after a rebound off the crossbar. Mbappe then bagged the winner with a brilliant curled free kick in the 76th minute for his second.

“We worked on (the set piece) a few weeks ago with the staff. I knew I could shoot this way, I saw the space. I asked the others to let me shoot and it worked out well.”

Leganes pushed for an equaliser but fell to a third consecutive defeat to sit 18th on 27 points, level with Alaves who are one place higher in the safety zone on goal difference.

“We have done a tremendous job. We leave with our heads held high because we were fighting until the end to score here,” Leganes striker Garcia said.

“Ultimately, it was down to the details that they took it. We played a very serious game and now we have to think about next week.”

Earlier, Atletico’s slim Spanish title hopes faded further with a disappointing draw at Espanyol.

Javi Puado earned the Catalan side a point with a penalty after Cesar Azpilicueta put the visitors ahead in spectacular fashion.

“Two points escaped, two important ones,” Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak told Movistar.

“If we don’t have consistency we can’t fight for the title.

“We don’t have it, we’re losing points and I think the teams behind us are catching up.”

Simeone admitted his team did not deserve the three points.

“It was a flat game in which the draw was fair,” the coach told reporters.

After a slow start, Azpilicueta blasted the visitors ahead from distance.

It was his first goal for three years and also his first for Atletico, but it was worth the wait as he hit a sumptuous volley into the top corner after Antoine Griezmann’s cross was cleared to the edge of the box.

Espanyol found a way back level when Clement Lenglet blatantly pulled Leandro Cabrera’s shirt in the box.

Puado rammed the resulting penalty into the top corner past Oblak’s outstretched arm after 71 minutes.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2025