Here’s Sid Lowe’s verdict from the Bernabéu: This is Real life. In the hours before this unlikely title decider, posters had gone up near the Santiago Bernabéu declaring that Girona are forever dreaming but instead there was an awakening. Carlo Ancelotti had insisted that whatever happened here the title race was not run, but by the end here it was hard not to see this as definitive. Not just because Real Madrid beat their nearest and most unexpected rivals for La Liga to go five points clear at the top, but the way they did it. Two goals from Jude Bellingham and one each from Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo delivered a statement to go with the victory. Girona have been superb this season but when it came to it, Madrid were just too good. Vinicius in particular was, his countryman and opponent Yan Couto left in tears at full time, the rebellion crushed almost from the start. Even Joselu missing a penalty with the last kick didn’t matter; this had long been over. It’s finished Leverkusen 3-0 Bayern Munich. Crikey! An update via Guillem Balague on ITV, who says Bellingham rolled his ankle and will have some tests tomorrow. Bellingham was pictured with ice on his ankle on the bench, but could still be fit for the trip to Leipzig on Tuesday. Here’s how the top of the table looks… Full time: Real Madrid 4-0 Girona Well, that was fun while it lasted. Real Madrid go five points clear after a dominant display that will surely put paid to Girona’s title dream. Jude Bellingham scored twice, Vinicius got a brilliant first and was electric throughout, and the league leaders could even afford to miss a late penalty. Joselu misses the penalty! No – he crashes the spot-kick off the post. And with the clock at 90.00, the referee calls time! Penalty to Real Madrid! Yan Couto’s nightmare game gets worse as he trips Arda Guler in the area. Joselu will have the chance to make it five … 88 mins: Savio goes down extravagantly after Garcia puts a hand on him in the penalty area. The referee isn’t interested. 87 mins: Vazquez’s cross is flicked wide by Joselu, who may have got in the way of the better-placed Diaz. 86 mins: Couto, who looks much better going forward, curls a shot just over the bar. Girona are still trying, at least. 85 mins: Savio tries to give the small pocket of Girona fans something to cheer, shimmying into space and crossing low – but Tchouameni is there to clear away! 83 mins: Real Madrid do what they’ve done a hundred times in this game, charging through midfield and then attacking Girona’s weak right side. This time it’s Diaz who gets into space, but he miscues his shot. 82 mins: This time Diaz tees up Fran Garcia, whose shot from a tight angle slaps into the side netting. 81 mins: Fran Garcia bustles upfield and cuts back from the byline to Diaz, who can’t get the ball under control. 79 mins: Couto, who is playing in a more advanced role, catches Fran Garcia with a high boot and is penalised. At least the title race in Germany is very much on … 76 mins: More Real Madrid changes, with a Champions League trip to Leipzig coming up on Tuesday. Vinicius is replaced by Arda Guler, while Fran Garcia comes on for Mendy. 75 mins: Mendy is booked, and will miss Real’s next match, after a foul on Couto that was the definition of unnecessary. 73 mins: Girona’s reshuffled attack are probing without much success; first Valery’s cross drifts beyond everyone, and then Couto’s attempted through ball is cut out by Mendy. 70 mins: Three changes for the visitors, too: Cristhian Stuani, Valery and Jhon Solis are on for Martin, Tsygankov and Dovbyk. 69 mins: For Real Madrid, Joselu replaces Rodrygo while Ancelotti swaps the nous and skill of Toni Kroos for the nous and skill of Luka Modric. 68 mins: Yan Couto trips Camavinga and gets a booking. That’s the kind of foul that may be “blue card” territory soon enough. 66 mins: Carvajal is struck full in the face by a long-range shot, and has to be checked over by medical staff before he can carry on. 64 mins: It’s been a scrappy spell of play, with Girona looking like they would gladly accept the final whistle. GOAL! Real Madrid 4-0 Girona (Rodrygo 60") Safe to say, we’re in rout territory now. Yan Couto’s tough night continues as he loses the ball to Vinicius, who sets Rodrygo away to run through a tired defence and lash the ball into the far corner. 60 mins: Rodrygo flashes a free header over the bar, and this could easily become a rout … 58 mins: The physio is having a look at Bellingham’s ankle, which was already strapped up. He looks frustrated, but possibly that’s because he was having such a good game. 57 mins: Bellingham goes down again, shakes his head and removes his boot. His evening is over, although it is hopefully nothing more than a precautionary measure. Brahim Diaz is on in his place. Once again, Vinicius is the architect, getting beyond two Girona defenders down the left in dismissive fashion. His cross-shot is parried by Gazzaniga, but it’s straight into the path of Bellingham, in the right place at the right time again. GOAL! Real Madrid 3-0 Girona (Bellingham 54") Bellingham trots back on the field and gets his second goal almost immediately, and Girona’s brief hopes of a revival are extinguished. 52 mins: Aleix Garcia fires a shot wide from 25 yards out. Girona have shifted to a 4-3-3 setup, with Torre sitting deeper than Portu did in the first half. 51 mins: Bellingham goes down awkwardly after trying to take the ball from Pablo Torre; he looks OK to continue for now. 50 mins: Girona break and Miguel gets upfield again to feed Savio, who skips past his marker before his cross is scrambled away. Positive signs for the visitors early in this second half. 49 mins: Carvajal’s half-volley is so wildly miscued that it almost becomes a cross into Rodrigo’s path, but Miguel is there to nick the ball away … 47 mins: But it’s Girona who make the first opening of the half, Miguel zipping down the left flank and firing in a cross that Lunin has to palm out of Dovbyk’s path. 46 mins: Gazzaniga drags the ball back to evade Rodrygo as Real Madrid try and apply immediate pressure … Second half The second half is under way, with Girona making one change. Attacking midfielder Portu is off, replaced by Pablo Torre – who is on loan from Barcelona. In Leverkusen, the hosts have what sounds like a deserved half-time lead over Bayern Munich. Jude wasn’t the first Bellingham to score a goal today; younger brother Jobe was on target for Sunderland as they beat Plymouth at home. Half time: Real Madrid 2-0 Girona It’s all gone very much to plan for the league leaders, who struck early through Vinicius’ brilliant finish and took charge of the game. Bellingham made it two from Vinicius’ pinpoint through ball, and it could have been more. Can Girona respond? We’ll find out soon. 49 mins: Couto appeals for a handball after Mendy blocks his cross. The referee blows – for half time. 48 mins: Bellingham plays in Vinicius, whose shot from a tight angle rolls wide. The shot count is now 8-1 in favour of Real Madrid. 47 mins: Finally, some attacking space for Girona and Dovbyk – but his attempted flick-through to Portu is a bit too cute, and read effortlessly by Toni Kroos. 46 mins: There’ll be four added minutes. Camavinga wins the ball close to the edge of his area and launches another dangerous counter, which ends with Bellingham firing over from the edge of the box. 45 mins: Couto tries again, but his cross drifts through to Lunin with players in the box. Artem Dovbyk shrugs in frustration; he hasn’t been able to get into the game. 44 mins: Couto’s cross is cut out and Real quickly work the ball to Bellingham, whose long jog downfield is only ended by a well-timed Garcia tackle. 42 mins: Ferland Mendy is now pushing forward from full-back, trying to link up with Vinicius and Bellingham. The hosts having fun here. 40 mins: Vinicius fizzes in another low cross, which Gazzaniga gathers. 38 mins: Things couldn’t have gone much better for Real Madrid so far, and Girona are hanging on for half-time. This feels like a hammer blow for Girona, who are sliced open by Vinicius’ brilliant through ball, played with the outside of his boot. It’s weighted perfectly for Bellingham to take it round Gazzaniga and slot into an empty net. That’s his 15th La Liga goal this season. GOAL! Real Madrid 2-0 Girona (Bellingham 36") And within seconds, Real Madrid double their lead in lethal fashion through Jude Bellingham! 35 mins: Girona get a free kick out wide, but the delivery floats beyond everyone and out of play … 34 mins: Valverde is also doubling up to help Vazquez contain Savio, giving the winger nowhere to go. This time he holds the ball up before playing in Miguel, whose cross drifts beyond Dovbyk. 32 mins: Fede Valverde, a player I’ve never seen have a bad game, forces a defensive error and lays it off to Bellingham, who drags his shot wide from the edge of the area. 31 mins: Girona’s only other league defeat this season came against Real Madrid, at home. They’ve struggled to lay a glove on their opponents so far here. “The run from Bellingham made space for Vinicius’ goal,” notes Ruth Purdue. “He runs across and takes the centre-back away from the direction of the shot. What a fine player.” It’s something he does very well, and he’s fitted into this Real Madrid team seamlessly. 28 mins: Bellingham is back on and back in his advanced midfield position, almost a false nine in front of Kroos, Valverde and Camavinga. 26 mins: Bellingham is down and holding his ankle after slipping and colliding with Garcia after that chance. It doesn’t look too serious. 24 mins: Girona have had their fair share of possession, but Real Madrid look much more dangerous. First, Ferland Mendy’s cross flies through the penalty box before Rodrygo’s cut-back is cleared by Eric Garcia with Bellingham waiting to tap in. A goal in the Bundesliga, scored by a Bayern Munich player … for Leverkusen. Allow Rob Smyth to explain. 22 mins: A bit of set-piece trickery opens a gap in the Girona wall and Valverde fires a low shot through it, but straight at Gazzaniga. Juanpe was also booked for that clumsy challenge, I should add. 21 mins: Juanpe, who is covering for Daley Blind in the Girona defence tonight, gets absolutely roasted for pace by Camavinga and shoves the midfielder in desperation. It looks a penalty, but was in fact just outside the box. A very dangerous free kick for Real … 20 mins: Girona push upfield again, moving the ball neatly before Ivan Martin’s cross is cleared away by Tchouameni, who is stationed at centre-back. 18 mins: Savio’s attempted cross is cut out by Vazquez, then rebounds off the Brazilian for a goal kick. 16 mins: A shift in the dynamics here, as Girona sit back and the Real Madrid midfield shows more adventure. Here’s a look at the opening goal. Thriker! 14 mins: Kroos bends in a cross which Eric Garcia clears away under pressure from Vinicius. At the other end, Savio – who is joining Manchester City this summer – misjudges his attempted centre to Dovbyk. 12 mins: The Girona manager, Michel, is serving a touchline ban tonight so is up in the stands. His assistnat, Salva Funez, is dictating things on the touchline. 10 mins: The home fans whistle a prolonged spell of possession for the visitors, before Rodrygo fails to make the most of another burst upfield. 7 mins: That’s an absolutely textbook Real Madrid body blow. Girona look to respond quickly, but Dovbyk can’t get his shot away under pressure. The Brazilian gets the ball in a pocket of space some 25 yards out, cuts a yard inside and hits an absolute rocket that soars and dips before crashing off the inside of the far post. There’s no stopping that! GOAL! Real Madrid 1-0 Girona (Vinicius 6") This is an outrageous finish from Vinicius Junior. 4 mins: Bellingham offers a first warning to Girona on the break, his cross just floating beyond Rodrygo to connect at the near post. 3 mins: The Bernabéu roof is closed for tonight’s game, leading Puma to put up this pithy poster outside. There are 85,000 fans in the Bernabéu tonight; 500 of them are in the away end. 2 mins: The Girona full-backs, Miguel and Yan Couto, are already pushing upfield, while every Real Madrid player is back inside their own half. Peep! We’re up and running, Girona playing in their away kits which are … charcoal with a mint trim, is the best way I can describe it. The teams are out at the cavernous, space-age Bernabéu. There is a minute’s tribute to Miguel Ángel, the legendary former Real Madrid keeper who died this week, aged 76. There are not one, but two potential title deciders kicking off in five minutes – Rob Smyth is on hand for Leverkusen v Bayern right here. Joe Pearson has broken the MBM fourth wall by emailing in to both … “The mind boggles! Two wannabe Leicesters are both facing their main rivals for their respective league titles at the exact same time. Which one should I watch? I think the Alonso angle makes Leverkusen more interesting, so I’m riding with Rob (apologies, Niall).” What can we expect tonight? Despite the David v Goliath vibes, it’s unlikely to be a case of attack v defence – and even if it is, it could be the hosts who are largely on the back foot. Michel’s Girona side play with attacking intent and press all over the pitch, while Ancelotti’s game plan may depend on the pace of his strikers and whether Bellingham can provide the right through balls. Today’s game is on ITV4, so a nice bit of free-to-air football for you this Saturday teatime. Promise you’ll keep the humble MBM on second-screen, though. With neither Nacho nor Antonio Rüdiger fit to feature today, Carlo Ancelotti looks set to deploy Aurélien Tchouaméni in central defence. Vinícius Júnior starts after missing the Madrid derby with a back problem; he’ll line up alongside Rodrygo up front for the hosts. Girona are without Daley Blind and Yangel Herrera, who are both suspended, but Artem Dovbyk is fit to start. The Ukrainian is joint-top scorer in La Liga with 14 goals, alongside Getafe’s Borja Mayoral – and Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham. Team news Real Madrid (4-3-1-2): Lunin; Vázquez, Carvajal (c), Tchouaméni, Mendy; Valverde, Kroos, Camavinga; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinícius Júnior. Subs: Kepa, Piñeiro, Modric, Joselu, Ceballos, Fran García, Brahim Díaz, Arda Guler, Ramón. Girona (4-2-3-1): Gazzaniga; Yan Couto, Eric García, Juanpe, Miguel; Martín, Aleix Garcia; Tsygankov, Portu, Sávio; Dovbyk. Subs: Juan Carlos, Fuidias, Arnau, Stuani, Borja García, Valery, Pablo Torre, Solís, Antal, Artero. Preamble One of the great, and increasingly rare, joys of league football is seeing a team emerge from the middle of the pack as a fully-formed unit, capable of winning the title from out of nowhere. Or, to use the correct terminology, “doing a Leicester”. Having finished in a historically high 10th place last season, Girona might have realistically hoped to push towards the European places. Instead, everything has clicked into place and with one loss in 23 games, the Catalan club are in a title shootout with Real Madrid. In modern football, every fairytale has its footnotes and Girona, with their connection to the Manchester City empire, are no exception. Still, their net spend this season is just €5m. Even a Real Madrid side that looks patched up in places has vastly outspent that figure. Besides, who isn’t an underdog when they arrive at this Death Star of a stadium to face Real Madrid? They are still Europe’s ultimate overlords, and can move five points clear by destroying another dream here. Any other result, and things will really get interesting.