Kylian Mbappe delivered a breathtaking performance, marking twice against Leganes to equalize the goal record set by Cristiano Ronaldo in his first season at Real Madrid. The club is now at Barcelona at the top of the La Liga ranking.
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Kylian Mbappe hit twice when Real Madrid came from behind to beat Leganese 3-2 on Saturday, pulling a level on points with the Leaders of the Liga Barcelona. Carlo Ancelotti’s team won an entertaining match at Santiago Bernabeu to put pressure on their Amers rivals, who welcome Girona in a Catalan derby on Sunday.
Mbappe put in the Bancos in front of the penalty point, but the goals of Diego Garcia and Dani Raba sent the relegation shoes before the break.
Jude Bellingham leveled for Madrid at the start of the second half before Mbappe whispered a free kick from the house to claim three points for the champions.
Mbappe corresponds to Ronaldo Record
Barcelona and Real Madrid are six years from Atletico Madrid, third, who drew in Espanyol earlier on Saturday.
“(Mbappe) makes the difference and that’s what we want from him,” said Madrid Ancelotti coach.
The accumulation of the superstar brought him to 33 goals for the season in all competitions in 44 games, equaling the top scorer of all time in Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo, marked the 2009-10 season, his first year at the club.
“It’s very special … to have the same number of objectives that Cristiano is still good,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV.
“We know what he means for Real Madrid and I, we are talking about, he gives me a lot of advice, he has marked many goals – but we have to win trophies here.”
Ancelotti appointed Vinicius Junior and Roddrygo going to the bench after being in action for Brazil on Tuesday, starting Mbappe with Brahim Diaz in attack.
Madrid took the lead after receiving a doubtful penalty when Oscar Rodriguez tangled his legs with midfielder Arda Guller.
Mbappe executed a perfect panenka to send Los Blancos in advance, although their advance lasted only a few seconds with Diego Garcia Netting at close range.
Diaz got closer to the other end, but then gave the ball in the accumulation of the second of leganes.
Visitors worked the ball in Rodriguez on the left, which reduced it for Raba to end.
Madrid came out strongly at the start of the second half and Bellingham quickly hit his eighth goal. The English international followed to score after the Diaz shot was blocked on the line.
Diaz hit the post and Ancelotti sent to Vinicius and Rodrygo while Madrid was pushing.
Finally, Mbappe scored his 22nd goal of the season of the season with a free kick to put Real Madrid in advance after 76 minutes.
“He practiced it yesterday, it went very well and he wanted to try it today,” said Ancelotti.
The French striker follows the top scorer in La Liga, Barcelona Hitman Robert Lewandowski, by one.
“It was a difficult match, after the international break, it is always difficult, and we know that what we have to do is always win,” added Mbappe.
No consistency
The hopes of the Spanish title of Atletico Madrid disappeared more with a disappointing draw in Espanyol.
Javi Puado won the Catalan side a point with a penalty after Cesar Azpilicueta put visitors dramatically.
“Two points have escaped, two important,” the Atletico goalkeeper said Jan Oblak, Movistar.
“If we have no consistency, we cannot fight for the title.
“We don’t have it, we lose points and I think the teams behind caught up their delay.”
Simeone admitted that his team did not deserve the three points.
“It was a flat match in which the draw was fair,” the coach told journalists.
After a slow start, Azpilicueta exploded the visitors remotely.
It was his first goal for three years and also his first for Atletico Madrid, but it was worth waiting because he struck a sumptuous volley in the upper corner after the cross of Antoine Griezmann was cleaned by the box.
Espanyol found a background when Clement Lenglet openly pulled the Leandro shirt, will shed in the box.
Puado struck the resulting penalty in the upper corner in front of Oblak’s tense arm after 71 minutes.
