Real Madrid claim LaLiga top spot as Inter Milan maintain Serie A title charge

Real Madrid claimed top spot in LaLiga with a 4-1 win over Las Palmas and welcomed back David Alaba from a 13-month absence.

Kylian Mbappe scored twice – taking his tally for the season to 18 – and Brahim Diaz and Rodrygo also netted after Fabio Silva had stunned the Bernabeu inside 30 seconds.

But the biggest cheers – and a standing ovation – was reserved for Austria defender Alaba, who had been out of action since suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his left knee in December 2023.

Real might have won by a greater margin against opponents reduced to 10 men by Benito Ramirez’s studs-high challenge on Lucas Vazquez after 64 minutes.

Real Madrid claim LaLiga top spot as Inter Milan maintain Serie A title charge

We’re not embarrassed – Enzo Maresca defends Chelsea players over ref exchanges

Mbappe was denied his first Real hat-trick by a VAR review and Federico Valverde also had two offside efforts ruled out as boss Carlo Ancelotti celebrated his 150th LaLiga victory.

Real are two points ahead of Atletico Madrid, surprise losers at Leganes on Saturday, and seven clear of third-placed Barcelona.

Athletic Bilbao moved level on points with Barcelona by beating Celta Vigo 2-1.

Alex Berenguer and Dani Vivian struck in the space of nine second-half minutes to put the visitors in command before Hugo Alvarez grabbed a Celta consolation.

Valencia climbed off the bottom of the table by stunning seventh-placed Real Sociedad 1-0.

Hugo Duro came up with the 26th-minute decider as Valencia won for only the third time in the league this season.

Osasuna and Rayo Vallecano drew 1-1 as Raul Garcia cancelled out Sergio Camello’s goal for the visitors.

Inter Milan kept the pressure on Serie A leaders Napoli with a 3-1 victory over Empoli at San Siro.

Lautaro Martinez moved into double figures for the season with a 55th-minute strike from distance, and Denzel Dumfries headed a second 11 minutes from time.

Sebastiano Esposito halved the deficit against his parent club, but Marcus Thuram sealed matters late on as Inter closed to within three points of Napoli with a game in hand.

Lazio moved above Juventus into fourth with a comfortable 3-0 win at lowly Hellas Verona.

Samuel Gigot and Boulaye Dia struck in the opening quarter, and Mattia Zaccagni added another in the second half before Ondrej Duda was sent off for the hosts in the final minute.

Fiorentina’s winless run continued with a 1-1 home draw against Torino, who had Ali Bina Dembele dismissed after 33 minutes for a second bookable offence.

Moise Kean soon headed La Viola ahead, but Gvidas Gineitis levelled 20 minutes from time to leave Fiorentina seven games without a win.

Cagliari moved above Lecce with a 4-1 victory, while fellow strugglers Parma and Venezia drew 1-1.

Union Berlin stunned Mainz 2-1 to record their first Bundesliga win for three months.

Benedict Hollerbach’s first-minute goal was quickly cancelled out by Nadiem Amiri’s penalty.

Robert Skov converted from the spot after 24 minutes to hand Union their first success in 12 games.

Samuel Essende bagged a first-half brace as Augsburg won 2-0 at Werder Bremen.

In Ligue 1, Marseille avoided a first defeat since November 8 as Mason Greenwood’s second-half penalty secured a 1-1 draw with Strasbourg.

The visitors led through Emanuel Emegha’s 23rd-minute strike from distance before Robinio Vaz was felled and Greenwood claimed his 12th goal of the season.

Elsewhere, there were 1-1 draws between St Etienne and Nantes and Reims and Le Havre, while Angers beat 10-man Auxerre 2-0.