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Real Madrid rally to beat Las Palmas
Kylian Mbappe was in inspired form, scoring twice to guide Real Madrid to a comeback 4-1 win over visitors Las Palmas on Sunday that lifted the champions to the top of the LaLiga standings.
Real leapfrogged Atletico Madrid, who were stunned 1-0 at lowly Leganes on Saturday, to sit top on 46 points, two ahead of their local rivals in second, with third-placed Barcelona trailing by seven points after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Getafe.
Carlo Ancelotti's side were shocked as Las Palmas took the lead 25 seconds after kickoff when Fabio Silva stroked home a Sandro cross from close range, but Real piled on the pressure and Mbappe equalised from the penalty spot in the 18th minute, after Rodrygo was fouled inside the box.
Missing Vinicius Jr for the first of two league games due to suspension after his red card against Valencia, Mbappe took the responsibility of providing Real's attacking impetus, playing one of his best all-round games since arriving in the Spanish capital from Paris St Germain last year.
Mbappe was seemingly everywhere on the pitch and linked well with Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo, forcing Las Palmas goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen to work hard to keep Real at bay.
Mbappe ran past three defenders and fired a bullet shot from the edge of the box that Cillessen brilliantly kept out, but Lucas Vazquez brought down the rebound and put it on a plate for Brahim Diaz to tap into the empty net for Real's second goal in the 33rd minute.
Mbappe extended their advantage three minutes later with a fine first-time effort into the top corner from a cross by Rodrygo, who scored the fourth on a quick counter-attack in the 57th minute.
Las Palmas were reduced to 10 men when substitute Benito Ramirez received a straight red card for a studs-up tackle on Lucas Vazquez in the 64th minute.
Despite Real taking their foot off the gas, they still had three efforts by Mbappe, Bellingham and Federico Valverde ruled out by the VAR for offsides in the build up.
"It was an important win for us because we took advantage of what happened to Atletico and Barcelona on Saturday, we wanted to win and we won," Mbappe told DAZN.
"To concede an early goal is difficult but the team's reaction was brilliant. We played on attack, we looked for space, we scored a lot of goals, I think all the fans enjoyed the game because we played well and now we are leaders.
"It's a dream to play for Real and to listen to the fans chant my name, I'm very happy because I've adapted to the team and I'm playing the way I want to play and enjoying it again."
Inter dispatch Empoli to stay on Napoli's tail
Inter Milan beat Empoli 3-1 at home on Sunday to keep pace with Napoli at the top of the Serie A table.
Lautaro Martinez opened the scoring with a curling shot after 55 minutes, Denzel Dumfries added a second with a powerful header from a corner in the 79th, and Marcus Thuram sealed the win 10 minutes later after Empoli had reduced the deficit.
Inter are second in the table with 47 points, three behind leaders Napoli but with a game in hand. Empoli are 14th with 20 points.
The hosts controlled the first half, carving out several opportunities to break the deadlock, but their lack of precision in their finishing kept the game goalless at the break.
Martinez sparked early excitement for Inter with a bicycle kick from a free kick, but Empoli keeper Devis Vasquez reacted brilliantly to save his effort.
Martinez went close to putting Inter ahead five minutes before halftime, when a bouncing ball slipped past the Empoli defence, but his half-volley from close range clipped the post.
Inter's Argentine captain got his goal after 55 minutes, receiving a pass outside the box before unleashing a precise curling shot that grazed the fingertips of Vasquez, at full stretch, as it went into the net.
Dumfries doubled the lead with a powerful header from a corner that bounced into the ground and up into the top corner.
Inter, who had assistant Massimiliano Farris in the dugout with coach Simone Inzaghi banned from the touchline after accumulating yellow cards, took their foot off the pedal after Dumfries' goal.
Empoli briefly threatened a comeback when Sebastiano Esposito, on loan from Inter, pulled one back in the 84th minute, controlling a cross and finishing from close range.
The visitors, however, couldn’t capitalise on that momentum, and Thuram scored Inter's third from a counter-attack to seal the points.
