Jude Bellingham scored his seventh goal of the season as Real Madrid moved top of La Liga with a comfortable victory over high-flying Girona.
Joselu opened the scoring from a fabulous Bellingham pass before Aurelien Tchouameni headed in the visitors’ second.
Girona, who topped the table going into the latest round of La Liga fixtures, started with a spring in their step and created two golden opportunities to take the lead.
Yangel Herrera headed narrowly over the crossbar from a central position inside the area, before Viktor Tsygankov struck the outside of the post from another free header.
Madrid gradually found their rhythm and eventually took the lead thanks to a marvellous piece of play from Bellingham, who picked out Joselu with the outside of his right boot to give the former Stoke and Newcastle forward an easy finish.
Tchouameni doubled Madrid’s lead four minutes later after being left completely unmarked from Toni Kroos’ inswinging corner.
The home side almost pulled one back five minutes into the second half, but Kepa Arrizabalaga was equal to David Lopez’s header and Eric Garcia was unable to steer home the rebound.
Bellingham got Madrid’s third with 20 minutes remaining, finding the far corner after Paulo Gazzaniga had parried Joselu’s initial effort. The 20-year-old is only the second player to score at least six goals in his first seven La Liga matches for Madrid this century, after Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009.
The game ended on a sour note for the visitors as Nacho was dismissed deep into added time for a reckless challenge on Portu, who left the field on a stretcher.
Carlo Ancelotti’s team will travel to Napoli in their second Champions League group match on Tuesday.
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