Mbappé nets twice to keep Real Madrid's title hopes alive

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé 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 move the second-placed reigning champions level on points with leaders Barcelona.

Real have 63 points from 29 matches along with Barca, who host Girona on Sunday. 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 difficult match. After the international break it's always difficult," Mbappé told RMTV.

The hosts made a dominant start and opened the scoring after 32 minutes when Mbappé coolly chipped in a penalty, awarded after Óscar Rodríguez brought down Arda Güler.

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. Mbappé then bagged the winner with a brilliant curled free kick in the 76th minute for his second.

"We know what we always have to do: win. We started well, in the opposition half, and we scored a goal. Then we didn't play well for 20 minutes and conceded two goals," said Mbappé.

"But we know that if we play well we'll score and in the second half we scored two goals. We won the game and we're very happy.

"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."