La Liga leaders Barcelona stumbled 1-0 at home against Leganes on Sunday as they suffered another blow in the Spanish title race.
Diego Simeone's side have been in fine form and continued their winning run across all competitions with a deserved home triumph, pulling provisionally level with league leaders Barcelona.
Real missed the chance to move above leaders Barcelona in LaLiga as they stay second on 37 points from 17 matches, one behind the Catalans who host Leganes on Sunday when Atletico, in third place on 35 from 16 games, welcome Getafe.
The 23-year-old was forced off with a muscle injury in their 4-0 thrashing of Osasuna at the Bernabeu earlier in November
"We changed the position of the forwards, with Mbappe outside and he did well, like Vinicius inside," said Ancelotti.
Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski's goals put the Catalans in a healthy position but Marc Casado's red card in the 82nd minute helped Celta start the fightback to snatch a point.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said Friday he would ask his players if they can win without injured teenage winger Lamine Yamal.
Lewandowski's early disallowed strike led to furious debate over whether the Polish forward had been offside or not.
Hammered by Barcelona in a league Clasico and then outplayed by AC Milan in the Champions League, Carlo Ancelotti's side badly needed this confidence-boosting victory.
A second-half header by winger Raphinha earned second-placed Barcelona a 1-0 win over Las Palmas in LaLiga on Saturday after the visitors were reduced to 10 men in the first half.
Former Brazil international footballer Dani Alves is to be released from jail pending an appeal against his rape conviction in exchange for posting bail of one million euros ($1.08 million), a Barcelona court said Wednesday.
Lewandowski set up goals for Joao Felix and Fermin Lopez either side of striking himself to pull Barcelona second, eight points behind leaders Real Madrid.
La Liga leaders Real Madrid regained their seven-point cushion at the top on Sunday as they benefited from two own goals in a comfortable 4-0 home win over struggling Celta Vigo.
"Getting the three points at home is the most important thing to be at the top," said defender Yan Couto.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) suspended the 20-year-old for showing contempt towards referee Jesus Gil Manzano after receiving a red card in Real's 2-2 league draw with Valencia on Saturday.
After Real Madrid drew in Valencia the night before, surprising title challengers Girona had a chance to reverse their recent slump and regain some ground.
It takes Real to 65 points ahead of Barcelona, in second after they beat Getafe 4-0 on Saturday, and nine in front of third-placed Girona before they host Rayo Vallecano on Monday.
Barca moved to second in the standings on 57 points, five behind leaders Real Madrid and one ahead of third-placed Girona, both of whom have a game in hand.
Valencia's league match against Granada that had been scheduled to take place on Saturday has been postponed following a deadly fire in the eastern coastal city, LaLiga said on Friday.
