Bellingham delivers again as Madrid teach Girona a lesson

By Waseem Akram On Oct 1, 2023

<a chlas="ceangal " href ="https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/teams/real-madrid/" dàta-i13n="diog: susbaint-canabhas; fo-roinn: anchor_text; leamhan:context_link" dàta-eilk ="slk: Real Madrid; diog: susbaint-canabhas; fo-roinn: anchor_text; leamhan:context_link;itc: 0"Cluicheadair meadhan-pàirce Sasannach > Real Madrid</a> <a class="ceangal " href ="https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/players/1870057" dàta-i13n="diog: susbaint-canabhas; fo-roinn: anchor_text; leamhan:context_link" dàta-eilk ="slk: Jude Bellingham; diog: susbaint-canabhas; fo-roinn: anchor_text; leamhan:context_link;itc: 0"Bidh > Jude Bellingham</a> celebrating after scoring the third goal as his team erupted <a class="ceangal " href ="https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/teams/girona/" dàta-i13n="diog: susbaint-canabhas; fo-roinn: anchor_text; leamhan:context_link" dàta-eilk ="slk: Girona; diog: susbaint-canabhas; fo-roinn: anchor_text; leamhan:context_link;itc: 0"Builgean > Girona</a> at Montilivi (Josep LAGO)” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/L2o9zthTL0ArW0AlYVegHg–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYzOQ–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/afp. com/bf40f314195c5568c76b5a18877474df” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/L2o9zthTL0ArW0AlYVegHg–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYzOQ–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/afp.com /bf40f314195c5568c76b5a18877474df”/></div>
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<p>Inspired by Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid showed both steel and class to beat high-flying Girona 3-0 on Saturday and move back to the top of La Liga.</p>
<p>Girona went into the weekend as unlikely leaders but champions Barcelona defied them by beating Sevilla on Friday, with Real then ousting their rivals at the top of the table. a league with a strong influence on Catalan soil.</p>
<p>Joselu and Aurelien Tchouameni’s first-half goals were enough to burst Girona’s bubble and thereafter the 35-time La Liga winners kept the top flight at arm’s length.</p>
<p>Bellingham struck magnificently with 20 minutes remaining to seal Madrid’s victory and continue his own impressive run of scoring form.</p>
<p>Madrid defender Nacho was sent off late in the game for a nasty high tackle on Porto, who left injured.</p>
<p>Michel’s side beat Real Madrid 4-2 at home last season and their fans thought they could do the trick again, but they found a determined side in their way .</p>
<p>In just their fourth season in Spain’s top flight and unbeaten in their first seven games, the City Football Group-owned side are enjoying success, but the visitors arrived at the prestigious they had a point to prove about the natural order of things, and they stopped that race.</p>
<p>Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti brought in Eduardo Camavinga at left-back to strengthen the defense after Atletico Madrid found the side too happy in last weekend’s derby loss to Los Blancos.</p>
<p>The coach also handed Vinicius Junior his first start back from injury, following his cameo in Wednesday’s win over Las Palmas.</p>
<p>Girona came out with their tails up, trying to capitalize on the strong home atmosphere at their small stadium in Montilivi.</p>
<p>They almost did, with Yangel Herrera going a little closer and Viktor Tsygankov hitting the post in an early kill inside the opening five minutes.</p>
<p>But Madrid took the lead against the run of play to stop the hosts in their tracks.</p>
<p>Joselu converted from close range after Bellingham found the Spain forward with a sublime cross with the outside of the boot.</p>
<p>The on-loan striker’s effort was straight at goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, but he didn’t have the reflexes to keep it out.</p>
<p>Four minutes later the visitors got their second, Aurelien Tchouameni heading in a free from Toni Kroos’ corner, thankfully conceding his first goal for Madrid since joining in 2022.</p>
<p>Bellingham were less clinical when played in goal, with Gazzaniga denying him well and then heading over Kroos’ volley.</p>
<p>– No way back –</p>
<p>Girona started strongly in the second half and Kepa Arrizabalaga was called into action to save David Lopez’s header.</p>
<p>Tchouameni survived a penalty appeal after tangling with Herrera inside his area as Madrid pressed, with Gazzaniga again denying Bellingham at the other end.</p>
<p>But few teams have been able to keep the England international away this season and Girona eventually held on.</p>
<p>Bellingham, the division’s top scorer with six goals, turned home the rebound after Gazzaniga headed over Joselu’s effort to kill any hopes of a comeback.</p>
<p>The midfielder celebrated in his now traditional manner, with arms wide, drawing half-hearted applause from the Girona fans.</p>
<p>Nacho was sent off in the closing stages for his foul on the Porto winger, which sparked a brief brawl between the players.</p>
<p>Madrid are leading with 21 points from eight games, a point ahead of Barcelona, who themselves are a point ahead of Girona.</p>
<p>Fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao visit Basque rivals Real Sociedad later on Saturday.</p>
<p>rbs/gj</p>
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