Mbappe ends goal drought as Real Madrid close gap on Barcelona

Kylian Mbappe ended his goal drought for Real Madrid, scoring his first in five games as the reigning La Liga champions secured a 3-0 victory over Leganes on Sunday. The win helped Real Madrid close the gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona to four points, with a game in hand.

Fede Valverde and Jude Bellingham also found the net, propelling Los Blancos to second place in the standings with 30 points. Madrid capitalized on Barcelona’s slip-up—a draw against Celta Vigo on Saturday—with a comfortable win over 14th-placed Leganes.

Carlo Ancelotti’s squad selection saw young centre-back Raul Asencio and Turkish midfielder Arda Güler start, while Dani Ceballos was given a rare opportunity in the lineup. The Italian coach had to navigate the absence of key players like Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao, but welcomed the return of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Mbappe, who started in his preferred left-wing position—a tactical shift from Ancelotti after deploying Vinicius Junior there previously—looked sharp. Although an early goal was ruled out for offside, the French star found the back of the net just before halftime. Vinicius capitalized on a defensive lapse from Leganes, setting up Mbappe at the far post for a simple finish, marking his second goal in the last eight matches.

Real Madrid took firm control of the match in the second half. Fede Valverde, captaining the side for the first time and filling in at right-back, doubled the lead with a powerful free-kick strike in the 66th minute. Mbappe, eager to add to his tally, forced a strong save from Leganes goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic, but it was England international Jude Bellingham who sealed the victory. Bellingham nodded home from close range after Brahim Diaz’s shot deflected off the crossbar, registering his second goal of the season.