Jude Bellingham’s brace and goals from Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo earned Real Madrid an emphatic 4-0 win over La Liga title challengers Girona on Saturday, extending the home side’s lead at the top of the table to five points.

Girona, unbeaten in 15 league games since losing to Real in September, would have moved top of the standings with a victory but stayed second behind Carlo Ancelotti’s men. “It was the best game of the season. All very good. The challenge increases the level of the team,” Ancelotti told a news conference.

“Vinicius had a top game at this level and has this attitude that he is the best in the world. Bellingham has a sprained ankle, so he will be tested.”

The hosts opened the scoring after six minutes as Vinicius picked up Fede Valverde’s pass to curl a superb long-ranger in for his seventh league goal of the season. “We did everything the coach asked us to,” Vinicius said.

“When the team wants to play hard, it’s very difficult to beat us. I don’t usually shoot from outside the box, but today (Saturday) I felt confident and it worked out well.”

Bellingham doubled the lead after Vinicius’ through ball set up an easy finish in the 36th minute and the England midfielder struck again from close range 19 minutes later.

Messi furore deepens

Hong Kong: The fallout from Lionel Messi’s failure to play in a club exhibition match in Hong Kong has spread with both of Argentina’s friendly matches as part of a tour of China next month cancelled by local football authorities.

The Beijing Football Association said on Saturday it would not organise Argentina’s friendly against Ivory Coast in Beijing in March.

The news comes a day after Chinese sports authorities cancelled Argentina’s scheduled match against Nigeria.

AP/PTI