Mbappé scores as Madrid moves closer to Barcelona in Spanish league ahead of tough test at Liverpool

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Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe scores a goal disallowed for offside during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

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Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe avoids Leganes’ Adria Altimira to score the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

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Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

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Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe attempts a shot at goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

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Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga, left, jumps for the ball with Leganes’ Julian Chicco during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

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Real Madrid players celebrate after Federico Valverde, 3rd right, scored their second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

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Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

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Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior gestures at Leganes’ Sergio Gonzalez, foreground, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

By TALES AZZONI

Kylian Mbappé scored and Real Madrid moved within four points of Spanish league leader Barcelona with a 3-0 win at Leganes on Sunday ahead of its eagerly awaited Champions League match at Liverpool.

Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham also scored to close the gap on Barcelona, which conceded two late goals in a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Madrid has played one game less than Barcelona after its match at Valencia was postponed because of the deadly floods in October.

Madrid will make the trip to England to face Premier League leader Liverpool on Wednesday in the Champions League, and is hoping to recover from a demoralizing 3-1 home loss against AC Milan in the previous round of matches.

Madrid’s attack worked well against Leganes with Vinícius Júnior playing inside and Mbappé more on the flank. The France striker scored after going four straight games without finding the net for the Spanish powerhouse.

“We switched their positions and the team was able to stay in control during the whole match,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

Villarreal recovers late

Fourth-place Villarreal scored an equalizer in stoppage time to salvage a 2-2 draw at fifth-place Osasuna.

Ante Budimir scored twice in the first 20 minutes for Osasuna. Villarreal, which was coming off three straight victories in all competitions, scored through Álex Baena in the 67th and a penalty kick converted by Gerard Moreno three minutes into injury time.

Osasuna, sitting three points behind Villarreal, was coming off a 4-0 loss at Madrid.

Also Sunday, Sevilla ended a two-game losing streak in the league with a 1-0 win against Rayo Vallecano, which played the entire second half with 10 men after Unai López was sent off for a hard foul.

Djibril Sow scored Sevilla’s goal in the 27th.

Sixth-place Athletic Bilbao hosted midtable Real Sociedad later Sunday in the Basque Country derby.

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