In a thrilling match on Saturday, Real Madrid showcased their strength and skill to defeat high-flying Girona 3-0 and reclaim the top spot in La Liga. Real Sociedad also had an impressive victory, triumphing over Athletic Bilbao with the same scoreline and moving up to fourth place in the league.
Girona came into the weekend as the unlikely leaders, but their position was short-lived as champions Barcelona overtook them by defeating Sevilla on Friday. Real Madrid then capitalized on their rivals’ defeat and secured a solid win on Catalan soil to regain their position at the top of the league.
Joselu and Aurelien Tchouameni scored in the first half to burst Girona’s bubble, and Real Madrid successfully kept the plucky upstarts at bay throughout the match. Jude Bellingham, the division’s top scorer with six goals, added another to seal Madrid’s victory and extend his own impressive run of goalscoring form.
However, Madrid defender Nacho was sent off in the later stages of the match for a high tackle on Portu, who had to leave the field due to injury. Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged Nacho’s mistake but commended his team’s overall performance, describing it as solid and strong.
Girona had beaten Real Madrid at home last season, and their fans believed they could achieve a similar victory again. However, they encountered a determined Madrid side who were determined to assert the natural order of things and put an end to Girona’s unbeaten streak.
Ancelotti made tactical adjustments, bringing in Eduardo Camavinga at left-back to strengthen the defense, and handing Vinicius Junior his first start after recovering from injury. Girona started the match aggressively, seeking to capitalize on the passionate home atmosphere, but Madrid took the lead against the run of play. Joselu converted a sublime cross from Bellingham, and Tchouameni scored their second goal from a corner.
Although Girona started the second half strongly, Madrid’s goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga made key saves to deny them. Bellingham, in particular, proved to be a constant threat, and he found the back of the net again after Gazzaniga parried a Joselu shot.
In the later match, Real Sociedad climbed above Athletic Bilbao with a convincing 3-0 victory in the Basque derby. Robin Le Normand opened the scoring in the first half, and Takefusa Kubo added a second soon after the break. Mikel Oyarzabal sealed the win for Real Sociedad, who have now won three consecutive matches in La Liga.
Real Madrid currently lead the league with 21 points from eight games, followed closely by Barcelona and Girona. Real Sociedad’s victory propelled them to fourth place in the standings.
