Real Madrid defeated as four-goal Taty Castellanos inspires Girona

Real Madrid’s already slim hopes of retaining their LaLiga crown suffered another blow when Taty Castellanos scored four goals to secure a 4-2 win for Girona.

The Argentine striker, on a season-long loan from New York City, was unmarked and headed in from Miguel Gutierrez’s cross, then latched on to a long ball and fired past Andriy Lunin.

Vinicius Junior halved the deficit by converting Marco Asensio’s cross before the break, but a minute after the restart Castellanos pulled off his hat-trick when he swept past Yan Couto’s cross.

Castellanos added more sparkle to the scoreboard with another header after once again being left alone in the box while Lucas Vázquez took little consolation from close range.

The defeat keeps Real Madrid, which receives Manchester City at the Bernabéu in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals in fifteen days, second in the Spanish top flight behind Barcelona.

With seven days to go, Real is 11 points behind the league leader, who will play their pending match on Wednesday against Rayo Vallecano, who dropped to tenth place after Girona’s victory.

Osasuna remain eighth after Rubén García gave them a 1-0 win against a struggling Cádiz side, with the visitors holding on to secure all three points despite the late sacking of substitute Abdessamad Ezzalzouli.

Real Betis were unable to make up ground on fourth-placed Real Sociedad and remain six points out of the Champions League places after a goalless draw between the teams.