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Mbappe fires Real Madrid level with Barcelona

Real Madrid maintained their title charge in LaLiga with a 3-2 win over Leganes on Saturday evening.

Vinicius Junior, Federico Valverde and Rodrygo started on the bench, with Luka Modric, Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz and goalkeeper Andriy Lunin getting starts.

Modric almost made the perfect opening from a clever move to the shoulder of the area, but saw Marko Dmitrovic pulled up a stern save.

Leganes maintained a solid shape all-round though were undone when Jude Bellingham drew a foul in the box to win a penalty which Kylian Mbappe calmly slotted in.

The lead was cancelled inside a minute as a combination of passes into the six-yard box allowed Diego Garcia to a smart finish from point-blank range.

Los Pepineros stunned the holders after a switch of play saw Oscar Rodriguez come in on the byline and crossed for Dani Raba Lavi to finish comfortably.

Bellingham responded two minutes in the second half when he charged onto a rebound from the woodwork and tucked in from point-blank range.

Madrid nearly regained control ten minutes apart through a low shot from the edge of the box by Brahim, but the Moroccan struck the foot of the post.

Brahim was removed a while later and saw Vinicius Junior come on to replace him with Rodrygo shown an entry too in place of Guler.

Rodrygo proved decisive where he won a free-kick on the edge of the box in the final ten minutes and Mbappe dispatched through the wall on-route to the net to complete his brace.

The tempo was very lively in the latter stages as Los Pepineros chased a comeback, but Madrid maintained control and ran out victorious to move level on points with FC Barcelona.

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