BARCELONA: 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 Real having played one fewer match.

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

Girona 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.

Los Blancos got their second in the 55th minute when Bellingham threaded through a fine pass for Guler to finish.

Mbappe rattled in Real’s third from a tight angle after Bellingham hobbled off with a knock after Luka Modric played him in down the right.

Earlier Real Betis twice came behind to stop Barcelona from triumphing in Seville.

Assane Diao levelled in the 94th minute to stun Barcelona, who opened the scoring after 39 minutes through Robert Lewandowski.

After Giovani Lo Celso levelled for the mid-table hosts from the penalty spot, substitute Ferran Torres struck what seemed the winner before Diao’s late intervention.

Real Betis started strongly, with Raphinha forced to clear Diego Llorente’s header off his own goal-line. The electric Yamal helped Barcelona get on top as Betis sat deep and the Catalans found the breakthrough shortly before the break with a slick move finished by Lewandowski.

The hosts levelled with a penalty converted by Lo Celso, when Frenkie de Jong stepped on the heel of Vitor Roque, on loan at Betis from Barca, with Flick sent off for protesting.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2024