Jude Bellingham shines as Real Madrid take on Girona

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Amidst speculation about Kylian Mbappe's performance at Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham, the hero of last season, has been in exceptional form reminiscent of the glory days when Los Blancos clinched both the Spanish and European titles. Real Madrid will be facing Girona in a La Liga match on Saturday, with Girona being the team that gave them a tough competition for the title before dropping down to third place due to a dip in form. With a game in hand over league leaders Barcelona, Madrid is trailing by just four points after a recent defeat to Athletic Bilbao, where Mbappe missed his second penalty in a week.

By contrast Bellingham netted for the fourth league game running and is shouldering plenty of responsibility with Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior out injured.

Last season Bellingham scored 10 goals in his first 10 games for the club, but in the current campaign he went 12 matches goalless across all competitions before breaking his duck.

"I arrived last summer and the club lost arguably one of the greatest goal scorers of the generation in Karim Benzema," said Bellingham last week.

"This year we've signed (Mbappe), one of the best players of this generation, he's someone who has scored an amazing amount of goals so as a team we expect him to do that.

"For me, I know then my role differs, which I'm happy to do... (but) I also want to take that responsibility -- now I've got the smell for it again in these last couple of games."

Bellingham finished well against Athletic on Wednesday to pull his team back on level terms, before a Fede Valverde mistake allowed the Basque side to snatch a 2-1 victory, snapping a three-game winning run in La Liga for Real Madrid.

The England international helped Los Blancos win 3-0 at Girona's Montilivi stadium last season with a stunning assist and a goal, a show of force which warned the Catalan minnows they were still rungs below the elite.

Bellingham then netted twice against Girona in a 4-0 rout at home in February which helped Madrid take control of the title race.

Madrid have lost five games this season across all competitions after losing just twice in the entirety of last season.

"We've improved on certain things in recent games but we're not as solid as we were last year," admitted Ancelotti on Wednesday.

"We'll start getting players back now and we'll improve, that's for sure."

Girona lost various players in the summer and have also been stricken by injuries this season, currently sitting eighth.

Leaders Barcelona visit Real Betis earlier on Saturday, aiming to move seven points clear of Madrid before kick-off at Montilivi.

Diego Simeone's in-form Atletico Madrid, third, welcome Sevilla on Sunday night.

One to watch: Ez Abde

Former Barcelona winger Abde will be out to prove a point to his old side when Real Betis host the league leaders at the Benito Villamarin. The explosive wide man has been an important attacking outlet on the left for his team this season even though so far he has struggled to find the net, with just one league goal in 15 appearances.

Key stats

8 - Barcelona's teen star Lamine Yamal leads the league in assists

21 - times Mbappe has been caught offside this season in La Liga

33 - Real Sociedad's Jon Aramburu is the division's top tackler

Fixtures

Friday (all times GMT)

Celta Vigo v Mallorca (2000)

Saturday

Las Palmas v Valladolid (1300), Real Betis v Barcelona (1515), Valencia v Rayo Vallecano (1730), Girona v Real Madrid (2000)

Sunday

Leganes v Real Sociedad (1300), Athletic Bilbao v Villarreal (1515), Osasuna v Alaves (1730), Atletico Madrid v Sevilla (2000)

Monday