Real Madrid made the most of their chance and capitalised on Barcelona’s slip-up to creep closer to the leaders last night with a stunning win at Estadi Montilivi.
Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler bagged the goals on the night as Los Blancos registered a much-needed win to lift the spirits.
The men in white are now just two points shy of Barcelona with a game in hand and could be league leaders as early as the first week of January when they will play Valencia in their pending clash.
Lucas Vazquez face the press
Speaking to the media after the game, Real Madrid defender Lucas Vazquez spoke on the team’s much-needed win and the importance of the result.
“Our game was very solid from start to finish. The team knew it was a great opportunity for us. We played a great game and we’re very happy,” he began saying
Elaborating on the performance and what helped them get over the line, he said,
“Our teamwork, both in defence and attack, was very solid. The whole team did a great job. The 0-3 scoreline and keeping a clean sheet always give you a plus. We’re happy with the way the win turned out.”
Going into detail
Lucas Vazquez was happy with the performance. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Vazquez then reviewed the game in detail and discussed the tactical battle that ensued between Girona and Real Madrid.
“The team knew how to hold on at the start of the first half. Girona started very well and we were able to weather the storm.”
“I think the result is fair, we should be very satisfied with how we played, both in defence and attack. The team is on the rise,” he added.
Speaking on the team’s struggles in the opening phase of the game when Girona dominated, he said,
“At the beginning, we struggled a bit. They have a good way of handling the ball between the lines.
“They made us hesitate a little bit, but with the help of Valverde and Arda Güler we did things very well and we solved the game.”
Praise for Bellingham
Vazquez even had words of praise for Jude Bellingham who is now on a stunning goalscoring run and even racked up an assist last night.
“We are not surprised. Bellingham. He is a very important player for us. In the last few games, in addition to his work, he’s been getting the numbers.”
“We are very happy that he scores, assists, defends… He does everything,” he added.
Finally, the defender gave his two cents on the upcoming clash against Atalanta in the UEFA Champions League.
“We want to go there to win. It’s a difficult and important game and we’re going to do our best to get the three points.”
Arda Guler’s turn
Arda Guler was on the scoresheet against Girona. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Arda Guler also faced the press after the game and shared his excitement over the result and his goal on the night.
“I’m very happy to have won today and to have scored. We were going through a difficult time as a team. I really wanted to be able to help.”
“The team played a great game, we ran a lot, we fought a lot and we’re very happy to have got a clear win,” he added.
The young midfielder praised his teammate Bellingham for the assist, saying,
“Bellingham gave me a very good assist and I ended up scoring. I really wanted to score because I hadn’t scored yet this season with Real Madrid.”
“After Bellingham’s goal, it was clear to me that I wanted to score too. I’m very happy,” he added.
Guler was then asked about the support of fans and what it meant to him, to which he said,
“The warmth of the fans gives me confidence in myself. I try to give my best in every game to repay their affection. I try to give everything for Real Madrid.”
Finally, the youngster also shared his thoughts on the tricky UCL game against Atalanta ahead, saying,
“Every Champions League match is very important. We haven’t done very well in the last few games and that’s why we want to win there as well. Tomorrow we will start working on it.”
Source: Real Madriv TVPhoto by Alex Caparros/Getty Images