Kylian Mbappe scored twice to help Real Madrid outgun a feisty Leganes 3-2 and pull level with Barcelona at the top of LaLiga, while Atletico Madrid fell further behind in the title race.
The match between the defending champions and a team trying to stave off relegation was billed as an easy three points for Madrid. It was anything but as Leganes showed much more bite than expected at the Santiago Bernabeu.
After Mbappe put Madrid ahead from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute, Leganes stunned the home crowd by hitting right back after the restart. Left-back Valentin Rosier sprinted clear on the right flank and crossed for Oscar Rodríguez, whose poorly-hit shot was pushed home by Diego Garcia.
The minnow from southern Madrid did it again in the 41st. This time, Rosier stole the ball from Brahim Diaz and raced down the centre of the pitch before he played Rodríguez clear, who squared the ball for Dani Raba to take the lead.
Leganes’s Dani Raba celebrates scoring their second goal]Isabel Infantes/Reuters]
Even though Leganes continued to threaten a third goal, Madrid capitalised on its chances in the second half to turn it around.
Jude Bellingham equalised when he rushed in to finish off a rebound. Mbappe made it a brace from a free kick, slicing the ball around the barrier and just inside the post after a rigorous foul call that was protested by Leganes.
Mbappe has 22 goals in LaLiga, only one fewer than Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski.
Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid scores his team’s first goal from a penalty kick]Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images]
Barcelona can re-establish its three-point lead when they host Girona on Sunday.
Atletico Madrid stumble again in LaLiga title race
Atletico’s 1-1 draw at Espanyol left it six points behind the frontrunners with nine rounds left after this weekend.
Cesar Azpilicueta put Atletico ahead in the 38th with a spectacular volley of a clearance by an Espanyol defender that fell to him outside the area. The 35-year-old defender celebrated his first career goal in LaLiga.
Espanyol pressed in the second half and Javi Puado converted a penalty to level in the 71st after Clement Lenglet pulled down Leandro Cabrera while disputing a cross in the box.
Atletico led the league in January and looked poised to have their best shot at claiming the title they had won twice under Diego Simeone’s decade in charge. But the wheels have come off in March. The slip at Espanyol followed back-to-back losses to Getafe and Barcelona, interspersed with two losses to Madrid in the Champions League round of 16.
Atletico left fuming but Griezmann goes past Messi
Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak did not hide his disappointment, especially after the club spent big in the summer to put together arguably the deepest squad in Spain.
“Two more important points have gotten away from us. It is tough to understand why this is happening”, Oblak said. “We talked in January about how we needed to be consistent to compete for the title and we are not showing it. The teams behind us are closing and the teams at the top are getting away”.
Oblak said Atletico must regroup for Wednesday’s Copa del Rey second-leg semifinal against Barcelona because “we want to at least fight for that title”.
Simeone himself said the title will be decided “in the last five rounds”.
Espanyol, in 15th place, was undefeated in nine home games, a run which included a shock win over Real Madrid.
Atletico defender Robin Le Normand had to be substituted after knocking heads with an Espanyol player.
Atletico forward Antoine Griezmann set a new record for games played by a foreigner in LaLiga with 521 appearances. The French forward surpassed the 520 games played by Lionel Messi of Argentina.
Mikel Oyarzabal and Sergio Gómez scored as Real Sociedad beat last-placed Valladolid 2-1.
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Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said he is focused on winning games despite the threat of a potential punishment for an ineligible lineup rumbling on in the background.
Flick selected Inigo Martinez in the 3-0 win over Osasuna in LaLiga on Thursday, after the Spanish defender had withdrawn injured from the national team squad for their recent Nations League matches.
Osasuna appealed to the Spanish football federation on Friday over Martinez being ineligible, citing FIFA rules regarding players who have not joined up with their national teams when called on.
“We won three points and this is my focus, so I’m focusing on the next match against Girona”, Flick told a news conference on Saturday, a day before leaders Barcelona host Girona in LaLiga.
“The other thing is not in my hands, it’s not about me”.
FIFA rules state that players cannot appear for their clubs within five days of the last national team match, if they did not join the squad when called upon, without the federation’s permission.
Martinez played 90 minutes against Osasuna after pulling out of international duty with knee discomfort, as Barcelona took a three-point lead at the top of the table.
The match was played on Thursday after being initially postponed from March 8, when a Barca club doctor died, with neither side wanting to play it this week but both having appeals against it rejected.
The Pichichi hones his skills. ☄️ pic. twitter.com/GolxI0dZwX
Flick lined up against Osasuna with star striker Robert Lewandowski on the bench, although he later scored when appearing as a substitute.
The Polish veteran has 23 goals in LaLiga, leading the scoring charts, known as the Pichichi, ahead of Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe on 22.
“Lewandowski is focused on the success of the team, not just winning the Pichichi”, said Flick.
“Of course, he wants to score goals, he wants to play, but he also sees what the team needs.
” This makes me really proud, about the behaviour of Lewy, and it was a really great situation, a great moment and everything went the right way against Osasuna, so it’s something I really appreciate. “
🌎 Worldwide start times for Sunday’s Barça vs Girona! pic. twitter.com/wv0GTgw4E2
Flick also said that his Barcelona side are ready for the challenges of a packed schedule of matches until the end of the season as they bid for silverware on three fronts.
Over the next 17 days, they have six matches in all competitions.
” You never know that]recovery time], even when you have one or two days more to recover. It will undoubtedly be a great challenge that awaits us from now until the end of the season, “Flick told reporters.
” We’re ready and want to fight until the end of the season. I have a feeling that we’re all very proud of the match against Osasuna. “
Real Madrid drew level on points with Barca at the top of LaLiga with their 3-2 win against Leganes, although Barcelona hold an 18-goal advantage on goal difference.
Barcelona team news
Dani Olmo, Marc Casado, Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal and Marc-Andre ter Stegen will all miss the match while Pau Cubarsi is a doubt with an ankle problem.
Girona team news
Donny van de Beek is suspended, while Abel Ruiz, Jhon Solis and Ivan Martin are all injured.
There have been more large protests in Israel, demanding that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conclude a captives-for-prisoners exchange deal with Hamas.
There are about 58 captives still held in Gaza, 34 of whom the Israeli military says are dead.
Family members of the captives and those supporting them rallied, with tensions rising between them and police in Tel Aviv on Saturday.
People take part in a protest demanding the immediate release of captives held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv, Israel]Maya Alleruzzo/AP]
Demonstrators condemned the government’s decision to return to war, and held aloft pictures of their family members in captivity. They said they were holding the Israeli government responsible for their lives.
Saturday’s protest comes as Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, released a video titled, Time is Running Out, purporting to show an Israeli captive in Gaza calling on the government to secure his release, the second such video shared by the group within days.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum campaign group identified the man as Elkana Bohbot, who was taken captive from the site of a music festival in southern Israel during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack that led to Israel’s latest campaign against Gaza.
Crowds protesting billionaire Elon Musk’s purge of the US government under President Donald Trump have been congregating outside Tesla dealerships throughout the US, and in some cities in Europe, in the latest attempt to put a dent in the enormous fortune of the world’s richest man.
The protesters are trying to escalate a movement targeting Tesla dealerships and vehicles in opposition to Musk’s role as the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, where he’s gained access to sensitive data and shut down entire agencies as he attempts to slash government spending.
Most of Musk’s estimated $340bn fortune consists of the stock he holds in the electric vehicle company that he continues to run while also working alongside Trump.
Tesla Takedown has been organised by a group that includes disillusioned owners of the carmaker’s vehicles, celebrities such as actor John Cusack, and at least one Democratic Party lawmaker, Representative Jasmine Crockett from Dallas.
Earlier protests were somewhat sporadic.
But Saturday’s demonstrations mark the first attempt to surround all 277 of the carmaker’s showrooms and service centres in the US in hopes of deepening a recent decline in the company’s sales.
In front of the New York store in Manhattan, between 500 and 1, 000 people gathered, demanding Musk’s resignation from government.
The protesters were gathered at the call of environmentalists from Planet Over Profit, who believe that “stopping Musk will save lives and protect our democracy”.
For Amy Neifeld, a 70-year-old American psychologist who had not taken to the streets since the anti-Vietnam War protests in the 1970s, Elon Musk is leading the United States towards “fascism”.
“I’m Jewish and I grew up with a deep awareness of what fascism is. And it’s only gotten worse since the election” of Donald Trump, she told the AFP news agency.
“We have to do something very quickly, because he’s moving very quickly”, Neifeld added.
A demonstrator holds a sign featuring images of Tesla CEO Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump, during a rally against Elon Musk during a protest outside a Tesla dealership in the Georgetown neighbourhood of Washington, DC, US]Carlos Barria/Reuters]
In London, about two dozen protesters held signs lambasting Musk outside a Tesla dealership as passing cars and trucks tooted horns in support.
One of the signs displayed at the London protest showed a photo of Musk next to an image of Adolf Hitler making the Nazi salute — a gesture that Musk has been accused of reprising shortly after Trump’s January 20 inauguration.
A person in a tyrannosaurus rex costume held another sign with a picture of Musk’s straight-arm gesture that said, “You thought the Nazis were extinct. Don’t buy a Swasticar”.
“We just want to get loud, make noise, make people aware of the problems that we’re facing”, Cam Whitten, an American who showed up at the London protest told The Associated Press.
Some people opposed to Musk have gone beyond protests and set Tesla vehicles on fire and committed other acts of vandalism that US Attorney General Pam Bondi has decried as “domestic terrorism”. Musk indicated he was dumbfounded by the attacks during a March 20 company meeting and said the vandals should “stop acting psycho”.
Crockett and other Tesla Takedown supporters have been stressing the importance of Saturday’s protests to remain peaceful.
But police were investigating a fire that destroyed seven Tesla vehicles in northwestern Germany early Saturday morning. It was not immediately clear if the blaze, which was extinguished by firefighters, was related to the Tesla Takedown protests.
Meanwhile, a growing number of consumers who bought Tesla vehicles before Musk allied himself with Trump have been looking to sell or trade in their cars, while others have slapped on bumper stickers seeking to distance themselves from the billionaire’s efforts to prune or shut down government agencies.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Images of old Damascus and Aleppo adorn the walls of a modest restaurant tucked into Bole Michael, a working-class neighbourhood near Addis Ababa’s international airport.
Chatter in Arabic and Amharic fills the air, mingling with the sizzling of a grill roasting a giant shawarma skewer and oil crackling around crunchy kebeiba (bulgur and ground meat balls).
In the kitchen, Syrian chef Ahmed Ibrahim and his two assistants prepare for the evening rush. As the sun begins its descent, they carefully fill small bowls with hummus and dates for guests in the restaurant and pack takeaway meals for those who stop by seeking a free meal.
In the spirit of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Ibrahim says he is happy to give back.
“When I first came to Ethiopia in 2020, I didn’t have a penny to my name. I worked in restaurants until I could open my own. I married an Ethiopian woman, and now, I’m a father of two daughters”, Ibrahim tells Al Jazeera. “This country has become a home to me”.
More than 5.5 million Syrians have fled their homeland since 2011, when war broke out after the government cracked down on a popular uprising. Most Syrians who left sought refuge in neighbouring countries like Lebanon, Turkiye, and Egypt.
Bole Michael has become a hub for Syrians in Addis Ababa]Samuel Getachew/Al Jazeera]
But some ventured further, to countries like Ethiopia, where fewer than 1, 500 Syrians reportedly live.
Al Jazeera approached Ethiopia’s Immigration and Citizenship Services for an official estimate, but the agency declined to respond.  , According to local media, many Syrians remain unregistered and live in limbo.
Despite these challenges, Bole Michael has become known as a Syrian neighbourhood. More Syrian refugees have found their way there, carving out a familiar rhythm.
Its streets, largely unpaved and strewn with pebbles and dust, have long been home to Somali, Sudanese and Yemeni refugees – some of the more than one million refugees living in Ethiopia.
In recent years, Syrian businesses have started adding their accents and flavours to the bustling area.
Ibrahim’s restaurant, named Syria, is one such business. The 34-year-old arrived in Ethiopia five years ago after a three-year stay in Sudan was cut short by political unrest there. Opening the restaurant, he says, was a way to recreate a slice of home in exile, a place where he could serve the dishes of his homeland to those who would appreciate them.
During Ramadan, that mission takes on even greater meaning: giving.
Salem Berhanu, a regular at Syrian restaurants in Bole Michael, enjoys dinner with Syrian friends]Samuel Getachew/Al Jazeera]
“It would’ve been great if I could host a free iftar for everyone in need, like the ones I grew up seeing in Syria”, says Ibrahim, referring to a centuries-old tradition across the Middle East, where banquets are set up on the streets to offer free food to passersby breaking their Ramadan fast at sunset.
“But that would be difficult here, since poverty is widespread and we’re just a small business”, he adds.
“Instead, during Ramadan, we try not to turn anyone away”, he says, explaining that the restaurant serves free meals to those in need during the holy month. “It’s about community and helping however you can”, he says.
Nearly a quarter of Ethiopia’s 124 million people live below the poverty line.
 , A taste of generosity from home
As the adhan echoes from a nearby mosque, signalling the end of the fast, Ibrahim begins welcoming diners.
Among them is Zeynab Mohammed, a Syrian mother of four who arrived in Ethiopia last year after fleeing Khartoum amid Sudan’s continuing civil war. Since settling in Addis Ababa, she has tried to make a living selling homemade perfume on the streets.
Closing her eyes briefly in prayer, she digs into a fragrant chicken shawarma wrap with fries.
About 30 percent of Ethiopians are Muslim. Here, thousands gather for the end of Ramadan last year in Addis Ababa’s Meskel Square]Tiksa Negeri/Al Jazeera]
“Life here isn’t easy”, Zeynab says quietly. “But moments like this remind me of home. The generosity, the shared meals – it’s something we carried with us from Syria, and it’s still alive here”.
Sitting next to her is Salem Berhanu, an Ethiopian friend and familiar face in the neighbourhood. Berhanu often joins newcomers at local eateries, occasionally paying for their food when he can. He is well-known among local children who gather around him, chatting in Amharic.
Berhanu says he enjoys seeing Syrians in Ethiopia. “It’s beautiful, especially during Ramadan, because it gives us a chance to meet new people and have meaningful conversations”, he says.
While many Syrians say they’ve felt welcome in Ethiopia, the challenges remain immense.
At a nearby table, another Syrian refugee, Aisha Abdul, recalls her early years in the country. She arrived in Addis Ababa after a perilous bus journey from Sudan, during which she hid from fighters who sometimes attacked convoys.
Three years ago, she and other worshippers at a local mosque in Bole Michael were invited to an iftar hosted by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed – a moment that, for her, felt like a lifeline after years of displacement.
Now, she sells scented charcoal alongside other Syrian refugees, often at traffic stops and crowded gathering spots.
The mustachioed air dancer tells passers-by that Syrian delicacies can be found in this small, unassuming spot]Sawra Tafari/Al Jazeera]
On an average day, she says, she makes about $5, though on good days, she earns more with the help of her children.
“Ethiopia is a very welcoming country, and the people are wonderful. But it can also feel like a dead end”, she says. “There’s no assistance, and finding a job is difficult, so many of us end up doing humiliating work just to survive”.
 , Gratitude in a new land
In Bethel, a calmer, more affluent neighbourhood on Addis Ababa’s western outskirts, an inflated air dancer bearing a trademark thick mustache and red fez signals that Syriana, another popular Syrian restaurant, is open.
Inside, trays of crunchy, cream-filled kunafa and syrup-drenched baklava are on display, and as Eid al-Fitr approaches to mark the end of Ramadan, biscuits and cookies traditionally baked for the occasion have been added, keeping long-held Syrian customs alive.
Ethiopian patrons, mostly young people, gather at round tables. Many were drawn there by the TikTok channel of 21-year-old owner Ahmed Abdulkader, who has turned his family’s business into a sought-after venue.
During Ramadan, however, Syriana also welcomes less fortunate visitors.
Ahmed Abdelkader made his family’s restaurant famous on social media for the traditional Syrian sweets they make]Courtesy of Alazar Pro Photography]
“We donate all we can, including meals throughout Ramadan for anyone in need”, Abdulkader tells Al Jazeera, explaining that they rely on word of mouth to identify those who might need help. “We try to be good citizens and help however we can”, he adds.
While thousands of Syrian refugees worldwide have returned home with the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, Abdulkader – like Ibrahim – has come to think of Ethiopia as home.
Fluent in Amharic, Abdulkader came to Ethiopia at the age of eight, soon after the war in Syria began. He attended school in Ethiopia, learned the language, and adapted to his adopted country. Thanks to his social media presence, he has become something of a household name, and his family is even considering expanding to other parts of Addis Ababa.
While Syrians have become renowned for their contributions to the culinary scenes in Egypt, Libya, Jordan, and elsewhere, those who settled in Ethiopia had to overcome language barriers and unfamiliar local tastes.
Grateful for his family’s success, Abdulkader says this month offers him a chance to reflect and give back.
“Ramadan allows me to connect with my customers on a personal level and offer food to anyone, regardless of their ability to pay”, he says.
An American woman has been freed by the Taliban in Afghanistan after she, two Britons and their Afghan translator were detained earlier this year, Washington’s former envoy to Kabul, Zalmay Khalilzad, has said.
She is the fourth US citizen released by the Taliban since January, as part of agreements brokered by Qatar.
“American citizen Faye Hall, just released by the Taliban, is now in the care of our friends, the Qataris in Kabul, and will soon be on her way home”, Khalilzad, who has been part of a US delegation working on Taliban captive releases, wrote on X on Saturday.
American citizen Faye Hall, just released by the Taliban, is now in the care of our friends, the Qataris in Kabul, and will soon be on her way home. Thank you, #Qatar, for your ongoing and steadfast partnership. #USA #Afghanistan pic. twitter.com/cMSBuaq7qR
Hall’s release comes just days after George Glezmann, an American detained in Afghanistan for more than two years, was released by the Taliban earlier this month, and arrived in the United States, where he reunited with his wife and was greeted by a welcoming party that included his former cellmate.
The Taliban called Glezmann’s release a “goodwill gesture” reflecting its willingness to engage with the United States “on the basis of mutual respect and interests”.
The Taliban has previously described the release of US detainees as part of its global “normalisation” effort.
The group remains an international pariah since its lightning takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021: No country has officially recognised the Taliban government, although several countries continue to operate diplomatic facilities in the country.
Afghanistan’s takeover came as the Joe Biden administration oversaw a withdrawal outlined by the first administration of US President Donald Trump.
The Republican leader negotiated with the Taliban in 2020 to end the war in Afghanistan, and he agreed to a 14-month deadline to withdraw US troops and allied forces.
The agreement was controversial for leaving out the Western-backed Afghan government, which was toppled amid the US’s chaotic exit from the country in 2021.
The Trump administration is yet to articulate a clear policy for how it will approach dealings with the Taliban government during the president’s second term.
Trump has been a regular critic , of how the Biden administration oversaw the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
![Salem Berhanu, a regular at Syrian restaurants in Bole Michael, enjoying dinner with Syrians [Samuel Getachew/Al Jazeera]](https://i0.wp.com/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Salem-Berhanu-a-regular-in-the-Syrian-neighbourood-enjoying-dinner-with-Syrians.-Image-by-Samuel-Getachew-1743093683-e1743273669719.jpg?w=696&ssl=1)
