Real Madrid is once again within striking distance of Barcelona atop the La Liga standings thanks to a dominant 0–3 victory over Girona.
Hours after Barcelona dropped points against Real Betis, Real Madrid secured all three points against Girona. The defending Spanish and European champions now sit two points behind Hansi Flick's men with a game in hand.
Despite getting off to a slow start, Real Madrid ended the night with three goals and a clean sheet. Jude Bellingham bossed the game for the visitors, finding the back of the net in the 36th minute and then assisting Arda Güler's wonderful strike in the second half. Kylian Mbappé even joined in on the scoring after taking full responsibility for Los Blancos' midweek defeat to Athletic Bilbao.
Carlo Ancelotti's side did not come out unscathed, though. Both Bellingham and Ferland Mendy were forced to come off the pitch due to injury, casting a rather gloomy shadow on an otherwise fantastic night.
Here's three things we learned from Real Madrid's latest La Liga win.
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Jude Bellingham Has the Best Work Rate on Real Madrid
Bellingham is everywhere on the pitch for Real Madrid. It is no secret the England international has carried the team in Vinícius Júnior's absence and he put in another noteworthy performance against Girona.
Of course, his winning goal will steal most of the headlines. The midfielder has now found the back of the net in his last five La Liga matches after scoring zero goals in his first 11 appearances across all competitions this season. Yet the overall quality he brought to the game cannot be found on the scoresheet.
JUDE BELLINGHAM OPENS THE SCORING FOR REAL MADRID AND BLOWS A KISS TO GIRONA FANS 😅 pic.twitter.com/H2Tx3Ks6Km
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 7, 2024
At the moment, it feels like every threatening run or dangerous ball comes from Bellingham. He is pulling the strings of the attack in a way Toni Kroos would be proud of. One minute he is supplying Mbappé and Güler with expert service and the next he's flying into the box to bury a rebound.
Even more integral to Real Madrid's win was his work off the ball. Bellingham is the one initiating the press. Bellingham is the one tracking back in the midfield to win back possession for his side. Bellingham is the one clearing the ball in his own penalty area. The 21-year-old has more than earned his flowers for not just his performance against Girona, but his performances all season.
Real Madrid is in deep trouble if Bellingham's injury will keep him off the pitch moving forward.
Arda Güler Deserves More Minutes
A powerful release of emotion left Güler when he found the back of the net for the first time this season. The Turkish teenager had a brilliant debut campaign with Real Madrid in 2023–24, scoring six goals in just 10 La Liga appearances, but he struggled to find quality chances in the limited minutes awarded to him in his second season.
Prior to Vinícius Júnior's injury, the 19-year-old had made just 12 appearances across all competitions, and only five of them were for more than 15 minutes. Even when Real Madrid's attack lacked creativity and decisive finishing, Ancelotti did not give Güler many opportunities to help an obviously struggling team.
JUDE BELLINGHAM WITH A BEAUTIFUL ASSIST TO ARDA GÜLER 🔥 pic.twitter.com/AjFT1nDlr4
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 7, 2024
Güler remained patient, though, and finally got himself on the scoresheet. It is becoming more and more obvious that a player of his quality should not be stuck on the bench or only coming on for two minutes at the end of an already-decided match. His left foot alone is reason enough for him to be on the pitch.
Aurélien Tchouaméni Shines at Center Back
Tchouaméni got the nod alongside Antonio Rüdiger in a surprising decision from Ancelotti, but it paid off. The Frenchman replaced 21-year-old Raúl Asencio, who had valiantly transitioned from Real Madrid Castilla to the first team amid Los Blancos' injury crisis. Benching Asencio in favor of Tchouaméni shows where Ancelotti will likely place his trust moving forward.
Although Tchouaméni is not a natural center back, the 24-year-old gained plenty of experience slotting into the backline for Real Madrid last season. After underwhelming in the midfield against Athletic Bilbao, the France international put in a clinical defensive performance against the Catalans.
Tchouaméni helped Thibaut Courtois keep another clean sheet all while only committing one foul in 90 minutes. The Frenchman also only misplaced three passes out of 79. He even almost got himself on the scoresheet in the 50th minute, but a great save from Paulo Gazzaniga denied him.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jude Bellingham Closes the Gap to Barcelona: Things We Learned From Girona 0–3 Real Madrid.
