BARCELONA, DEC 8: 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 after 36 minutes when Diaz's cross was blocked and the ball fell kindly to the England international to drill home.
It was Bellingham's fifth goal in his last five La Liga games, finding the form which powered Madrid to a Champions League and La Liga double last season.
Los Blancos got their second in the 55th minute when Bellingham threaded through a fine pass for Guler to finish.
Mbappe rattled in Madrid's third from a tight angle after Bellingham hobbled off with a knock after Luka Modric played him in down the right.
Ancelotti will hope Madrid can carry some momentum into the vital Champions League visit to Atalanta, for which Vinicius is expected to return from a hamstring problem. —AFP
