Jude Bellingham orchestrated a dominant performance as Real Madrid cruised to a 3-0 victory over Girona in LaLiga on Saturday, with Kylian Mbappé also finding the net.
The win narrowed the gap on league leaders Barcelona to just two points, with Madrid holding a game in hand after Barça’s 2-2 draw at Real Betis.
Jude Bellingham set the tone, breaking the deadlock before halftime and later providing a sublime assist for Arda Güler’s goal. Kylian Mbappé sealed the victory with a clinical finish, easing some of the pressure after recent criticism over his form.
Despite the triumph, Madrid’s celebrations were tempered by injuries.
Bellingham and defender Ferland Mendy were substituted in the second half with apparent knocks, adding to Carlo Ancelotti’s growing concerns ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Atalanta.
With Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo already sidelined, the coach relied on Bellingham and Brahim Díaz to support Mbappé in attack.
Girona, who had pushed Madrid for the title last season before finishing third, started brightly. Bryan Gil and Donny van de Beek came close early on, but Los Blancos quickly found their rhythm.
Paulo Gazzaniga denied Díaz’s powerful effort, but the breakthrough came in the 36th minute. A blocked cross fell kindly to Bellingham, who fired through a crowded box to open the scoring.
Madrid doubled their lead early in the second half. Bellingham’s perfectly weighted pass set up Güler, who calmly slotted home his first league goal for the club. The England international was later forced off with an apparent injury, raising concerns for Madrid’s upcoming fixtures.
Mbappé delivered the final blow, finishing a rapid counter-attack initiated by Luka Modrić. From a tight angle, the Frenchman drove the ball across Gazzaniga into the bottom corner, silencing
