Real Madrid takes Girona down from the cloud
Ancelotti’s men supported the good home start with two goals and finished off the counterattack to emerge as leaders of Montilivi
MADRID, 30 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid won (0-3) this Saturday in their visit to Girona FC on matchday 8 of LaLiga EA Sports to emerge as leader of Montilivi, healing the damage of the derby in a direct duel for leadership in the domestic competition that lowered the local euphoria.
Míchel’s team had reasons to dream and even more so with a brilliant start, where Yangel Herrera had a very clear shot after three minutes and, one later, Tsygankov finished off the post. Girona acted as a good defender of the lead but Madrid knew how to suffer once again in one of its bad starts to the game.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men shook off that pressure in the best way, with goals, two in four minutes that changed the script completely. Joselu, who does not fail every time he starts, scored his fourth goal of the season, with a great cross from Bellingham with the outside, in the 17th minute.
Shortly after, in a corner poorly defended by the locals, Tchouaméni made it 0-2 with a header. With Girona’s attempt to recover the ball and Madrid still willing to increase the lead, the game was left without a clear owner until half-time, where Míchel tried to rekindle his team’s flame with 45 minutes left.
That’s how it went. Girona pressed again after the restart and, once again, had good chances to open the match. David López, on a header from a corner kick, forced a save from Kepa in the 50th minute and Herrera had another couple of scoring chances. Ancelotti reminded his team of his plan to be strong at the back and look for the counterattack. Camavinga, back on the left side, cut off the danger from Savio who led to that departure from the sentence.
With Míchel fearing the worst after the loss, Joselu finished off the counter in the first instance and Jude Bellingham did not forgive the rebound. With 20 minutes left, the game for the lead was resolved, with a Madrid that imposed its stripes at the home of the revelation of the season, a recently promoted team that is coming down from the cloud. Still, Montilivi recognized his heroes by singing the anthem.
Meanwhile, Ancelotti moved the bench thinking about the Champions League against Naples. Vinícius, who was returning after injury, and Bellingham were the first to rest, in a duel that got dirty in stoppage time with a direct red card for Nacho, reported in the VAR, and the possible injury to Portu. Madrid thus emerges as the leader of Girona with 21 points, cleaning up its image after the defeat in the derby against Atlético, compared to 20 for Barça and 19 for Girona.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: GIRONA FC, 0 – REAL MADRID, 3. (0-2, at halftime).
–ALIGNMENTS:
GIRONA: Gazzaniga; Yan Couto, Eric García, David López (Porto, min.60), Blind, Miguel; Yangel Herrera (Solís, min.87), Aleix García; Tsygankov (Valery, rest), Savio (Pablo Torre, min.79) and Dovbyk (Stuani, min.60).
REAL MADRID: Cape Town; Carvajal, Rudiger, Nacho, Camavinga; Tchouameni, Valverde (Brahim, 87 minutes), Kroos, Bellingham (Ceballos, 74 minutes), Joselu (Lucas Vazquez, 84 minutes) and Vinicius (Rodrygo, 68 minutes).
–GOALS:
0 – 1, min.17, Joselu.
0 – 2, min.21, Tchouaméni.
0 – 3, min.72, Bellingham.
–REFEREE: Pulido Santana (C. Las Palmas). He cautioned Eric García (min.64) and Stuani (min.95) for Girona. And to Kepa (min.84) and Rudiger (min.95) in Madrid. He sent off Nacho (min.94) for a direct red card.
–STADIUM: Montilivi.