Madrid closes in on Barca after big win at Girona
Real Madrid closed the gap on LaLiga leader Barcelona to two points with a commanding 3-0 win at Girona, with goals from Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe.
Second-placed Madrid has 36 points with a game in hand on Barca, which drew 2-2 at Real Betis earlier in the day, after inflicting Girona's sixth loss of the campaign.
Bellingham opened the scoring in the 36th minute by capitalising on a loose ball and firing home from the centre of the box, the England international then turning provider for Madrid's second goal.
Ten minutes into the second half, his defence-splitting throughball teed up Guler to double Madrid's lead, although Bellingham was withdrawn with an injury soon afterwards.
Mbappe then added further gloss shortly after the hour mark, firing home from a tight angle for his ninth league goal of the season.
It was also his 200th in his career across Europe's top five leagues, on his 261st such appearance.
He netted 16 times for Monaco and 175 times with Paris Saint-Germain.
He was not the only Los Blancos star with something to celebrate, as Bellingham made it five straight games with a goal for the very first time in Europe's top leagues, but his second-half exit will concern Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, who already has a number of injuries to key players to deal with.
Madrid travels to Serie A leader Atalanta in the UEFA Champions League next week, before another away day in LaLiga at Rayo Vallecano, which beat Valencia 1-0 in their league clash.
Girona next opponent in the UEFA Champions League is Premier League leader Liverpool, which will be fresh after its Merseyside derby with Everton was postponed because of adverse weather conditions.
Its next LaLiga match is a trip to sixth-placed Mallorca.
