Bellingham-inspired Real Madrid cut Liga gap after Barcelona draw

Jude Bellingham guided champions Real Madrid to a comfortable 3-0 victory at Girona on Saturday in La Liga, with Kylian Mbappe also on the scoresheet after two high-profile penalty misses in recent games.

Los Blancos cut the gap on league leaders Barcelona to two points after the Catalans drew 2-2 at Real Betis, with Madrid having played one fewer match.

Bellingham opened the scoring before half-time and set up Turkish playmaker Arda Guler for Madrid’s second, before Mbappe produced a clinical finish for their third.

Both Bellingham and defender Ferland Mendy were replaced with apparent knocks in the second half ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash at Atalanta.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed Bellingham was “available” for the game but said Mendy had suffered a muscular injury.

After Madrid’s fifth defeat across all competitions in midweek against Athletic Bilbao, having lost just twice last season, Ancelotti pledged his team would improve and they were significantly better against Girona.

“Bellingham scored his fifth goal running (in La Liga), Mbappe scored, Brahim (Diaz) did good work, Arda scored a great goal,” Ancelotti said.

“We have to bear the moment out and as I said, bit by bit we will come back (to form).”

With Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo sidelined, Ancelotti selected Bellingham and Diaz in support of Mbappe.

The French forward has been the focus of criticism in recent weeks after blowing penalties against Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao, and struggling to find the form which made him a star with Paris Saint-Germain and his country.

Girona, who ran Madrid close for the Spanish title for much of last season before eventually finishing third, started the stronger but Madrid soon clicked into gear.

Bellingham pounced