Kylian Mbappe broke his goal drought with a close-range finish. At the same time, midfielder Jude Bellingham added to the tally with a header as Real Madrid secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Leganes on Sunday.
With a game in hand, Real are second in the standings on 30 points, four behind Barcelona, who drew 2-2 with Celta Vigo on Saturday.
Mbappe connected with Vinicius Jr‘s through ball and scored within the first 10 minutes; however, his celebration was fleeting as the goal was disallowed for offside.
France International faces challenges in its inaugural season with the La Liga champions, having yet to find the back of the net in its last four appearances across all competitions. His most recent goal was scored during a 2-1 victory against Celta Vigo last month.
In a pivotal moment just two minutes before halftime, the former Paris St Germain striker scored his seventh league goal. This achievement came after a well-executed combination with Vinicius, taking advantage of a defensive error from Leganes that was expertly capitalized on by Bellingham, allowing Real to take the lead.
“The team made a tactical adjustment by repositioning the strikers, placing Mbappe on the outside, where he performed admirably, alongside Vinicius, who excelled in the central role.” The team controlled the game very well,” said coach Carlo Ancelotti after the match.
Real dominated possession during the second half, leaving custodian Thibaut Courtois, who returned to the squad following a muscle injury, with minimal action to contend with.
In the 66th minute, Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde found the back of the net with a stunning long-range free-kick following a foul on Bellingham.
In a thrilling finish, the England international secured victory in the 85th minute, capitalizing on a rebound from the crossbar to head the ball into the net.
Real Madrid will face Premier League and Champions League leaders Liverpool on Wednesday, followed by a home match against Getafe in La Liga just four days later.
Leganes occupies the 14th position in the league standings and is set to face Alaves this Saturday.
