Staff Reporter.
Real Madrid cut the gap on league leaders Barcelona to two points after the Catalans drew 2-2 at Real Betis, with Madrid having played one fewer match.
Jude Bellingham opened the scoring before half-time and set up Arda Guler for Madrid’s second, before Kylian Mbappe produced a clinical finish for their third.
He had not found the net this season before this run of goals, which has made him the first Real player to score in five consecutive league matches since Karim Benzema in March and April 2021.
Bellingham fired in a ball on the bounce from 16 yards late in the first half.
He played a fine through ball for Guler to slot Madrid’s second goal after the break.
However, former Birmingham and Borussia Dortmund player Bellingham had to be replaced after the hour mark by Dani Ceballos after taking a knock.
Mbappe then scored his ninth La Liga goal as he drilled in a shot from Luka Modric’s pass. It gave the Frenchman a 200th league goal, having previously managed 16 for Monaco and 175 for Paris St-Germain.
Carlo Ancelotti’s defending league champions are now two points behind leaders Barcelona, Real have a game in hand.
Girona, eighth in La Liga after a poor start to the season exacerbated by a host of injuries, welcome Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday.