Kylian Mbappe delivered a masterclass on Saturday, scoring a brace to lift Real Madrid to a 3-2 victory over Leganes, leveling his tally at 33 goals in all competitions for the season, matching Cristiano Ronaldo's first-year performance for Los Blancos in 2009-10.
Mbappe's first goal came from a precise Panenka penalty, but Madrid fell behind after goals from Diego Garcia and Dani Raba before the break.
In the second half, Jude Bellingham equalized for Madrid, setting the stage for Mbappe's free-kick to complete the turnaround and secure all three points at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Madrid’s win pushed them level on points with Barcelona, who will face Girona on Sunday.
Despite a slow start to the season following his move from Paris Saint-Germain, Mbappe’s recent form has drawn praise from coach Carlo Ancelotti.
"He’s making the difference, and that’s what we want from him,” Ancelotti said, adding that Mbappe has the potential to live up to Ronaldo’s legacy at the club, but it will require hard work.
For Mbappe, the achievement of equaling Ronaldo’s goal tally was deeply significant. "It’s very special...to have the same number of goals as Cristiano is always good,” he said. "We know what he means for Real Madrid and for me personally; we speak, and he gives me a lot of advice." But the French forward emphasized that his ultimate goal is to win trophies, reflecting Madrid’s lofty expectations.
The victory came after a controversial penalty decision early in the match, awarded when Oscar Rodriguez tangled with Arda Güler.
Mbappe’s penalty gave Madrid a short-lived lead, with Garcia quickly equalizing for Leganes.
Madrid then struggled as Leganes took the advantage before halftime, but their resilience showed in the second half.
Bellingham’s quick reaction to a blocked shot leveled things up, and Mbappe’s free-kick on 76 minutes proved decisive.
Ancelotti revealed that Mbappe had practiced his free-kick the day before, and the execution proved spot-on.
With his second goal of the night, Mbappe moved closer to La Liga's top scorer, Robert Lewandowski, trailing by just one goal.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid's title hopes took another blow after a 1-1 draw against Espanyol. Cesar Azpilicueta’s stunning volley put Atletico ahead, but a late penalty from Javi Puado earned Espanyol a point.
Atletico’s goalkeeper Jan Oblak admitted their inconsistency is proving costly, leaving them trailing in the race for the title.
