Mbappe shines, Atletico stumble as LaLiga title race heats up

Real Madrid had opportunities in the second half to change the outcome. Jude Bellingham brought them level by capitalising on a rebound, while Kylian Mbappe secured a brace with a well-placed free kick that curled around the wall and into the net. The foul leading to the set piece was heavily contested by Leganes.

Mbappe now has 22 LaLiga goals, just one behind Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski.

Barcelona can reclaim their three-point lead at the top if they defeat Girona on Sunday.

Atletico Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Espanyol leaves them six points adrift of the leaders with nine rounds remaining.

Cesar Azpilicueta opened the scoring in the 38th minute with a stunning volley from a clearance that landed perfectly for him outside the box. The 35-year-old defender marked his first-ever LaLiga goal with a jubilant celebration.

Espanyol applied pressure in the second half, and Javi Puado converted a penalty in the 71st minute after Clement Lenglet brought down Leandro Cabrera while contesting a cross in the area.

Atletico had led the league in January and appeared to be in prime position for their best shot at the title under Diego Simeone.

However, their form has unraveled in March, with the draw at Espanyol following consecutive defeats to Getafe and Barcelona, along with two Champions League losses to Real Madrid in the round of 16.

Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak did not hide his frustration, especially given the club’s heavy summer investment to build one of the strongest squads in Spain.

“We’ve dropped two more crucial points. It’s difficult to understand why this keeps happening,” Oblak admitted. “In January, we talked about the need for consistency to compete for the title, but we’re not showing it. The teams behind us are catching up, and the leaders are pulling away.”

Oblak stressed the importance of bouncing back for Wednesday’s Copa del Rey semifinal second leg against Barcelona, saying, “We still want to fight for that title.”