Soccer Football - LaLiga - Girona v Real Madrid - Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain - December 7, 2024 Real Madrid's Endrick in action with Girona's Paulo Gazzaniga and Ladislav Krejci REUTERS/Jon Nazca
GIRONA, Spain (Reuters) -Real Madrid narrowed the gap on LaLiga leaders Barcelona to two points with a commanding 3-0 win at Girona on Saturday thanks to goals from Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe
Second-placed Real have 36 points with a game in hand on Barca, who drew 2-2 at Real Betis. Girona suffered a sixth loss in 16 league matches and remain eighth on 22 points, two points off the European spots.
Bellingham opened the scoring in the 36th minute by capitalising on a loose ball and firing home from the centre of the box before setting up Guler with a fine through ball to double the lead 10 minutes after the break.
The England midfielder, who scored for a fifth consecutive LaLiga match, was having an outstanding game but was forced off after taking a knock shortly before Mbappe made it 3-0 with a shot from a tight angle in the 62nd to wrap up the win.
Real boss Ancelotti told reporters Bellingham was alright but they also lost full-back Ferland Mendy to a muscular problem ahead of their Champions League clash at Atalanta on Tuesday.
"(Bellingham) is fine, he is available. We've had the muscle injury to Mendy but the rest of it is just knocks, nothing more," the Italian manager said.
Girona have struggled without key players through injury and now face difficult matches at home to Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday and away to Mallorca next Saturday in LaLiga.
"The team has suffered a lot of injuries. It's costing us more. We still have months to keep growing," Girona defender Miguel Gutierrez told Movistar.
"We have to keep going. We have two very important games. In the Champions League against Liverpool, we're playing to get through. In LaLiga against Mallorca."
Girona are 30th in the Champions League table, three points behind Real who are 24th and occupy the final qualifying spot for the playoffs.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Ken Ferris)
