Kylian Mbappe scored his second hat-trick in Ligue 1 this season as leaders Paris St Germain won 6-2 at Montpellier on Sunday, securing their first league win in four matches.
PSG, with 59 points from 26 matches, extended their lead at the top over Brest to 12 points while Montpellier, with 26 points, remain one point above the relegation playoff spot. Brest were earlier held 1-1 at home by Lille.
The visitors took the lead in the 14th minute when Mbappe found Vitinha with a cross from the left after taking a short corner. The Portugal international evaded two defenders before curling the ball home right-footed from the edge of the box.
Mbappe, in his 200th league match for PSG, got on the scoresheet eight minutes later, playing a one-two with Randal Kolo Muani and finishing with his left foot from a difficult angle.
But Montpellier struck back on the half-hour mark with Jordan Ferri's cross from the left eventually falling to Arnaud Nordin inside the box, who headed it in from close range.
The hosts equalised just before halftime when PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma conceded a penalty after colliding with Tanguy Coulibaly inside the box. Montpellier captain Teji Savanier converted the spot kick, sending Donnarumma the wrong way.
But parity was short-lived as Mbappe struck again five minutes into the second half, with his right-footed shot from outside the box hitting the woodwork before finding the net.
PSG extended their lead in the 53rd minute when Lee Kang-in, who scored in the reverse fixture in November, netted his second league goal for the club with a left-footed finish from outside the box, as Muani got his second assist of the match.
Mbappe completed his hat-trick 10 minutes later from Vitinha's lofted through ball, his 250th goal for the club in all competitions that took his league tally in the campaign to 24 from 24 appearances.
The France international, who is set to leave PSG in the close-season, has scored 38 goals in all competitions this campaign from 37 appearances.
Nuno Mendes wrapped up the scoring for PSG when his left-footed effort from outside the box found the net in the 89th minute.
"I'm a lucky guy," manager Luis Enrique told Prime Video. "Because I have unbelievable players with enormous quality and the spirit... to fight for every single game.
"We want to win the championship as quickly as possible."
Barcelona outclass Atletico Madrid to climb second
Barcelona cruised to an emphatic 3-0 win at Atletico Madrid on Sunday with goals from Joao Felix, Robert Lewandowski and Fermin Lopez, to move second in the LaLiga standings.
The hosts dominated the early exchanges, but Barcelona grabbed the lead in the 38th minute following a fine passing move with Lewandowski teeing up Felix for an easy close-range finish.
Lewandowski extended the advantage two minutes into the second half as Raphinha stole the ball from Atletico's Rodrigo de Paul to set up the Pole for his 13th league goal of the season.
The visitors seemed untroubled by coach Xavi Hernandez being sent off in the first half and Lopez sealed the rout in the 65th minute with a towering header off Lewandowski's second assist of the night.
"It was probably the most complete game. It was a match similar to the one against Napoli," said Xavi referring to their midweek win in the Champions League.
"It's an ideal match for our methodology and philosophy of play. We are Barca, nobody relaxes here. We are going to try to improve and compete for the two most important titles.
"I am passionate and I want my team to win. For me the sending off was unnecessary and unfair but we have to accept it."
Barcelona moved above Girona, who were beaten 1-0 by Getafe on Saturday, in the table with 64 points, eight behind leaders Real Madrid.
"We are believing until the end. Trying to cut points and fight for the league," Lopez said. "Xavi told me to play calmly. I think we are in a good dynamic and we hope to extend it as long as possible".
Atletico, who were reduced to 10 men in stoppage time following Nahuel Molina's red card, suffered their first home loss of the season to leave them fifth with 55 points, one adrift of Athletic Bilbao in the last Champions League qualifying berth.
"They were better. The second goal took us straight out of the game. Congratulations to them because they played a good game," Atletico manager Diego Simeone said.
"Nothing to complain about my players. They gave their all. Let's stay calm and push for fourth place. It will be complicated and difficult."
Leverkusen beat Freiburg to edge closer to maiden title
Bayer Leverkusen beat hosts Freiburg 3-2 on Sunday to stay 10 points clear at the top of the league standings and edge closer to a first ever Bundesliga title.
Fresh from qualifying for the Europa League quarter-final in mid-week, Leverkusen showed no signs of fatigue as they earned a club record 22nd win in a Bundesliga season.
Xabi Alonso's team, who also set a club record with their sixth straight away win, are on 70 points, 10 ahead of second-placed Bayern Munich with eight league matches left to play.
VfB Stuttgart are third on 56, with Borussia Dortmund in fourth on 50 following their 3-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.
"It is always difficult to play against Freiburg," said Leverkusen coach Alonso. "Their second goal injected some more emotions late in the game. We could not score a fourth but it was a deserved win with a good performance."
His team face West Ham in the Europa League quarter-finals next month and are also through to the German Cup last four where they host Fortuna Dusseldorf on April 3.
"That is my main concern, that the players come all back healthy (from the international break) with no problems from their national teams."
"We have a brutal April coming up and we will go for it," Alonso said.
Florian Wirtz put the visitors, who are unbeaten across all competitions this season, in front after two minutes with a scintillating solo run before Ritsu Doan's clever shot in the 10th drew Freiburg level.
Leverkusen went back into a deserved lead in the 40th when Adam Hlozek tapped in from close range after Freiburg keeper Noah Atubolu had spilled the ball into his path following superb early work from Wirtz.
Patrik Schick's stunning flick, with the ball going in off the post in the 53rd, gave them a two-goal cushion and should have killed off the game.
Instead they eased off, allowing Freiburg more space, and Yannik Keitel cut the deficit after some sloppy defending in the 79th to inject some late drama.
Germany international Wirtz hit the post a little later before Freiburg responded with a golden chance of their own in stoppage time but Kiliann Sildillia's close-range header flew over the bar and Leverkusen hung on for the win.
