Real Madrid returned to winning ways after their 3-0 La Liga away win against Girona on Saturday

Real Madrid returned to winning ways with a convincing 3-0 victory over Girona in La Liga on Saturday. The win lifted Carlo Ancelotti’s side to 36 points from 16 matches, just two points behind leaders Barcelona, who were held to a 2-2 draw at Real Betis. Despite some injury concerns, Los Blancos showed clinical finishing and improved teamwork to secure a dominant win at the Montilivi Stadium.

The match began with a nervy start for Madrid, as Girona enjoyed a few early opportunities. However, it didn’t take long for Real Madrid to take control of the game. Jude Bellingham, who has been in exceptional form this season, opened the scoring in the 36th minute. The Englishman latched onto a loose ball in the box after a scramble, driving a powerful shot into the net through a sea of Girona defenders. It was Bellingham’s fifth consecutive goal in La Liga, underscoring his importance to the side.

Bellingham was not finished there. Just 10 minutes into the second half, he turned provider, making a brilliant assist for Arda Guler. Bellingham threaded a perfect through ball to the Turkish winger, who sprinted behind the Girona defense and calmly slotted past goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga to double Madrid’s lead. Guler’s goal was his first in La Liga for the club, and it was a display of the 19-year-old’s growing confidence and technical ability.

Real Madrid’s third goal came just seven minutes later, with Kylian Mbappé getting on the scoresheet. The French forward, who has faced a slow start to his Madrid career, showed his quality by slipping past his defender before calmly finishing with a low shot from a tight angle. Mbappé’s goal was a testament to his growing influence in the team, and it wrapped up a commanding 3-0 win for Madrid, who controlled the game after the third goal.

Though Real Madrid were in control, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Ancelotti’s men. Bellingham, who had been at the heart of everything positive for Madrid, was substituted in the 60th minute after appearing to suffer a thigh injury. Ancelotti later confirmed that Bellingham’s injury was not serious, and the midfielder would be available for the upcoming Champions League match against Atalanta. However, Ferland Mendy was not as fortunate he had to be replaced in the second half due to a muscular issue, and Ancelotti acknowledged that Mendy’s injury would be a concern going into the midweek clash.

Girona, missing several key players due to injury, now faces an uphill battle as they sit eighth in the La Liga standings with 22 points just two points outside the European qualification spots. Despite the loss, Girona will need to find a way to bounce back as they prepare for an upcoming difficult clash at home to Liverpool in the Champions League and a La Liga match away to Mallorca next Saturday.

Following the match, Carlo Ancelotti was pleased with the result but remained cautious due to the injury concerns surrounding Bellingham and Mendy. “We had some early difficulties, but once we scored the first goal, we played much better,” Ancelotti said. “The injuries are worrying, but we’ll have to manage the squad carefully for the upcoming games. Bellingham will be fine, but Mendy’s injury is something we’ll need to monitor.”