Soccer

European round-up: Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen triumph in top of the table clashes

Jude Bellingham scores twice to extend lead at the top of the La Liga table to five points

Jude Bellingham celebrates scoring his second and Real Madrid's third goal with team-mate Rodrygo in the La Liga game againbst Girona FC at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. Photograph: Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP via Getty Images

Sat Feb 10 2024 - 19:55
La Liga: Real Madrid 4 Girona 0

A Jude Bellingham brace and goals from Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo gave Real Madrid a crushing 4-0 win over La Liga challengers Girona on Saturday, extending the home side’s lead at the top of the table to five points.

The England international left the field with an injury seconds after scoring his second.

Girona had been unbeaten in 15 league games since their last loss to Real in September, and victory would have moved them to the top of the standings. But they remain firmly in second place, while Carlo Ancelotti’s men are on 61 points after 24 games.

The hosts opened the scoring six minutes into the game as Vinicius Jr picked up Fede Valverde’s pass to curl a superb long-range shot in for his seventh league goal of the season.

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Bellingham doubled the lead after Vinicius’s through ball set him up for an easy finish past Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga in the 36th minute. He made it two on the night in the 54th minute, knocking in a loose ball in the six-yard box.

Rodrygo sealed the rout after fellow Brazilian Vinicius’s second assist in the game, firing a rocket into the far corner in the 61st minute before Joselu missed a penalty in the final seconds of the game.

Bundesliga: Bayer Leverkusen 3 Bayern Munich 0

Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen outplayed champions Bayern Munich for a 3-0 victory on Saturday that sent them five points clear at the top of the table and firmly in charge of the title race.

The hosts, who have never won a Bundesliga title, struck in the 16th minute through Josip Stanisic – on loan from Bayern – to take the lead against the Bavarians, who managed only a single shot on target over the 90 minutes.

Spain international Alejandro Grimaldo added another five minutes after the restart before Jeremie Frimpong sealed the win in stoppage time to stretch their unbeaten run to 31 matches across all competitions this season.

Xabi Alonso’s team, who also twice hit the woodwork, are now on 55 points, with Bayern, chasing a 12th straight league crown, in second place on 50.

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