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.
Bellingham completed the scoring with a smart second-half finish.
The win lifts Madrid above Girona and Barcelona, who beat Sevilla on Friday.
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 travel to Napoli in their second Champions League group match on Tuesday.
Line-ups
Girona
Formation 4-5-1
- 13Gazzaniga
- 20Couto
- 25GarcíaBooked at 64mins
- 17Blind
- 3Gutiérrez
- 8TsygankovSubstituted forFernándezat 45′minutes
- 21HerreraSubstituted forSolisat 87′minutes
- 5LópezSubstituted forPortuguese Manzaneraat 60′minutesSubstituted forat 90+6′minutes
- 14García
- 16Moreira de OliveiraSubstituted forTorreat 79′minutes
- 9DovbykSubstituted forStuaniat 60′minutesBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 1Martín
- 4Martínez
- 6Isolated
- 7Stuani
- 10García
- 11Fernández
- 15Ramirez Lopez
- 18Torre
- 22Solis
- 23Martín
- 24Portuguese Manzanera
- 26Fuidias
Real Madrid
Formation 4-3-1-2
- 25Arrizabalaga RevueltaBooked at 84mins
- 2Carvajal
- 22RüdigerBooked at 90mins
- 6NachoBooked at 90mins
- 12Camavinga
- 15ValverdeSubstituted forDíazat 87′minutes
- 18Tchouaméni
- 8Kroos
- 5BellinghamSubstituted forCeballosat 74′minutes
- 7Vinícius JuniorSubstituted forRodrygoat 68′minutes
- 14JoseluSubstituted forVazquezat 87′minutes
Substitutes
- 10Modric
- 11Rodrygo
- 13The moon
- 17Vazquez
- 19Ceballos
- 20García
- 21Díaz
- 23Mendy
- 26Pine tree
- 34Carrillo
- Referee:
- Juan Luis Pulido Santana
- Attendance:
- 14,184
Live Text
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Match ends, Girona 0, Real Madrid 3.
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Second Half ends, Girona 0, Real Madrid 3.
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Eric García (Girona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid).
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Portu went off injured after Girona had used all subs.
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Cristhian Stuani (Girona) is shown the yellow card.
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Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card.
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Nacho (Real Madrid) is shown the red card.
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Delay in match because of an injury Portu (Girona).
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Delay in match (Real Madrid).
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VAR Decision: Card upgraded Nacho (Real Madrid).
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Portu (Girona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Nacho (Real Madrid).
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Yan Couto (Girona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid).
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Cristhian Stuani (Girona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Nacho (Real Madrid).