Mbappe hat-trick powers Barcelona

BARCELONA, Spain (AFP) — Barcelona mounted a spectacular comeback to beat Real Madrid, 4-3, in La Liga and move to the brink of the title after overcoming a hat-trick from Kylian Mbappe on Sunday.

The France striker threatened to haul Madrid back into the title race but Raphinha's double and goals from Lamine Yamal and Eric Garcia gave Barcelona a seven-point lead on the reigning champions with three matches remaining.

Hansi Flick's side were knocked out of the Champions League in the semifinals by Inter Milan on Tuesday and risked their season collapsing if they were beaten by Madrid, but they resisted after Mbappe's early brace.

Barcelona battled back to claim a fourth Clasico victory from four meetings this season, showing their dominance over Carlo Ancelotti's side.

"We've opened up an important gap, it was key to win this game after the Champions League (defeat), the fans have forgotten it and so have we, let's enjoy this," Yamal told Movistar.

"It was important to win today to bring the league title closer and it went very well, we're very happy."

Real Madrid are set to finish the season without a major trophy.

"We have to defend better, that is quite evident from today's game, we defended badly and that's that," Ancelotti said.

"Mbappe did well in an attacking sense. The team had clear ideas, but we could have defended better."

Madrid had made the perfect start to what is expected to be the Italian coach's final Clasico at the helm.

Mbappe earned a penalty when he was scythed down by Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, although the Catalans complained in vain the forward was offside in the build-up.

The striker beat Szczesny, who dove the right way and got his fingers to it, but could not keep it out.

In the 14th minute Mbappe doubled Madrid's advantage with a lethal finish after Vinicius Junior played him through, with Barcelona complaining again about a perceived foul on Yamal earlier in the move.