With an increased emphasis on attacking, Carlo Ancelotti’s club has taken a sizable lead in the standings. It’s February, and Real Madrid has perhaps staked their claim as the sole favorite to win La Liga. They showed this by pressing Girona hard, and the partnership of Vinícius Júnior and Jud Bellingham was essential to their emphatic 4-0 victory.
In Short
Vinícius opened the scoring
Vinícius opened the scoring with Real Madrid’s first real attack, capitalizing on the space under the wing before the post to stop the attempt from outside the box. The Brazilian player also assisted his team in the second half, delivering an excellent pass behind Girona’s defense, which Bellingham stopped, passed the goalkeeper, and placed it into the empty net.
Real Madrid’s defense after Break
After the break, Real Madrid improved defensively. Before suffering an injury, Bellingham found the net for the second time. Rodrigo secured the fourth position after an hour, making the competition much more challenging.
There were some concerns for Carlo Ancelotti. Bellingham needed a heavy bandage on his injured leg, and he still doesn’t have a fit first-team center-back. Nevertheless, if the title was crucial, Madrid made it look easy.
Jude Bellingham vs Girona (H)
— JBZ (@JBellinghamZone) February 10, 2024
pic.twitter.com/GciOg6qhvR
Goalkeeper and Defense
Andriy Lunin (7/10):
I’m not worried at all. We’ll get a clean sheet.
Lucas Vázquez (7/10):
Hardworking on the right side, with some real attacking quality. Admirably filled in for Carvajal.
Also read : “Real Madrid Holds Ground: Derby Ends All Square as La Liga Leaders Maintain Top Spot”
Aurelien Tchouameni (7/10):
Sometimes a bit casual, but otherwise comfortable in the center-back position. He might have to play there again due to Antonio Rudiger’s injury.
Dani Carvajal (6/10):
It’s strange to see him play on the left – although he handled it well. A couple of times caught out of position, which seems a weakness.
Ferland Mendy (6/10):
Solid in the first half, but Savio gave real problems in the second half.
Midfield
Eduardo Camavinga (8/10):
Covered a lot of ground all over the pitch. Won challenges on one end, created opportunities on the other. A fantastic performance.
Toni Kroos (7/10):
As always, pinged it around. Didn’t need to push forward much – the rest of the midfield sorted that out.
Federico Valverde (7/10):
Full of energy in midfield. Won tackles, kept the ball moving. This season, he has changed as a player, confidently assuming a new role.
Jude Bellingham (8/10):
Did more work like a striker in the first half. Scored a fantastic second goal for Madrid – his first goal from open play in two months. Got a third as well. However, his ankle injury will be a concern.
Attacking
Rodrigo (7/10):
Was having a tough game until he netted the fourth with a strike in the bottom corner.
Vinícius Júnior (9/10):
Was on the hunt right from the first minute. Started the scoring with a brilliant strike – even though Girona’s defense kept him at bay. His assistance for Bellingham was also comical for Real Madrid.
Subs and Manager
Brahim Diaz (6/10):
An exciting performance to take Bellingham’s place. Might have to wait in line for a few more minutes if a star player for Madrid gets a break due to injury.
Joselu (4/10):
Touched the difficult ball – although he tried. Late penalty missed.
Luka Modric (6/10):
Controlled things in the middle. No bad option coming off the bench.
Arda Guler (N/A):
A rare performance for the talented youngster. Didn’t get much involved.
Fran García (N/A):
No time to make an impact.
Carlo Ancelotti (8/10):
Got to see a vintage performance from his side. Madrid kept the pressure up for five minutes, and then they were entirely in control for the remaining 85.
