Girona and Bellingham remain unstoppable - TEN THINGS WE LEARNED from LaLiga

Girona and Jude Bellingham remain unstoppable as the title race in Spain begins to look increasingly like it might be between Michel and Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

The England midfielder can officially no longer walk down the street in Madrid without being mobbed by fans.

And he is not the only English player creating waves.

Mason Greenwood managed a goal and assist as Getafe got the win that finally led to Sevilla sacking their coach.

Here’s what we learned from matchday 17 in La Liga.

Girona still the team to beat

We are still two games short of the half way point of the season but after last night’s win over Alaves Girona moved nine points clear of third placed Barcelona, 10 of fourth placed Atletico Madrid (having played a game more) and perhaps most importantly of all 12 points clear of fifth place.

A place in the Champions League next season – because of that gap and because of the way they are playing, surely beckons.

Endrick welcome casts extra doubt on Mbappe’s arrival

The lengths that Real Madrid went to in order to welcome 17-year-old Brazilian Endrick at the Santiago Bernabeu at the weekend was yet another indication of their ongoing apparent indifference to what Kylian Mbappe decides to do.

If the Frenchman, who is not having his best season, fails to fit the Madrid pay structure, give or take a few million, then no one in Spain will be surprised if they pass on him and concentrate on Endrick who watched the 4-1 win on Sunday at Bernabeu and even mimicked Jude Bellingham’s goal celebration after the English midfielder scored.

Jude is Madrid’s biggest star

Another reason why Madrid are increasingly cold on breaking the bank for Mbappe is that they have their super star.

Bellingham made it 17 goals in 20 games so far this season on Sunday and when Endrick went down into the Madrid dressing room to meet the players he will play alongside from next summer, it was Bellingham he was keenest to meet.

Jude then went out of a stroll on Monday with his mum and was mobbed by fans wanting a picture.

Referee threatens Bellingham with a red, in English!

Referee Jorge Figueroa Vazquez was trying out his English on the pitch at the Bernabeu during Real Madrid’s win over Villarreal.

‘Be careful with me’ he could be lip-read saying to Bellingham after the England midfielder had been booked. His only crime was to gesture for the crowd to raise the volume levels after a foul had not been given his way.

Madrid must sign a centre-back in January

Real Madrid are unlikely to rehire Sevilla’s Sergio Ramos, 37 or Porto’s Pepe, 40, but they do need a reliable veteran to help them deal with David Alaba’s absence.

He became the third player to tear his cruciate ligament this season after Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao and leaves Nacho and Antonio Rudiger as the only fit centre-backs for the rest of the season.

Barcelona looking at a midfield reinforcement for January

‘If we can, then we will sign a midfielder this January said Joan Laporta after Barcelona dropped two more points behind the pacesetters only managing a draw against Valencia.

The absence of Gavi – another cruciate ligament victim – is really being felt. Ever since Gavi’s injury Xavi has made it clear he wants Giovani Lo Celso.

Whether Xavi gets what he wants will offer up another clue as to how committed the club are to sticking by the coach who has failed to win any of his last three.

Rafa wins at home at last

Benitez’ team beat Granada 1-0 to make two wins this season and a first at Balaidos. Celta Vigo are still in the bottom three but Benitez has made them hard to beat. They are now four without defeat.

They are not as fun to watch but being fun was getting them nowhere. Now they are now moving in the right direction.

The former Fox, not great in the box

Caglar Soyuncu had to wait until the middle of December for his first start and it did not go well. His foul on Nico Williams in the first half should have led to Athletic Bilbao’s first goal but Oihan Sancet missed the penalty.

Atletico did end up losing 2-0 and the former Leicester man was taken off at half time and, like all his team-mates bar Samu Lino and keeper Jan Oblak, got zero in Marca’s ratings.

Winless Alonso sacked after eight games

No amount of goodwill from Victor Orta could save Diego Alonso from the sack of on Saturday after Sevilla were beaten 3-0 by Getafe. Former Leeds director of football Orta hired Alonso, so the Uruguayan coach’s failure is Orta’s too.

He was keen for Alonso to make it to the New Year but defeat to Getafe made it eight games for him without a win and off he went, as the worst midseason replacement coach in the club’s history.

And Greenwood played a big part in it happening

He scored his third league goal for Getafe, from the penalty spot, and notched his fourth assist with an excellent pass for the second goal.

In ten games he has done far more for Getafe than Anthony Martial managed on loan at Getafe two season’s ago. Quique Sanchez Flores is the new man at Sevilla signing a contract until 2025.