Real Madrid vs Girona Review
A late goal in each half secured a 2-0 victory for Real Madrid against Girona, bringing them level on points with Barcelona at the top of La Liga. The visitors had the first chance of the match in the fifth minute when Arnau Martínez tested Thibaut Courtois from a difficult angle, but Real quickly responded, with Kylian Mbappé forcing Paulo Gazzaniga into action just moments later. A beautiful combination play around the 15-minute mark ended with Vinícius Júnior heading the ball over the crossbar, and he faced further frustration when Daley Blind stopped him during a rapid counterattack.
Faced with a determined Girona defense, Real Madrid played patiently, with Brahim Díaz’s powerful shot being deflected by Gazzaniga before Modrić shot over the bar. Girona also pushed forward when possible, with Donny van de Beek creating a moment of concern, but a quick counterattack was thwarted by a brilliant play from Ladislav Krejčí, who prevented Vinícius’ pass from reaching Mbappé. Modrić then delivered a moment of brilliance just before halftime, controlling David López’s clearance and striking a stunning shot into the top corner.
Gazzaniga denied Mbappé once more, and Krejčí managed to block Rodrygo’s header, but Real Madrid finally scored their second goal in the 83rd minute. Vinícius combined with Mbappé to nudge the ball past Gazzaniga, ensuring that Los Blancos ended their three-match winless streak in La Liga and now sit just behind league leaders Barcelona based on their head-to-head record this season. The defeat also marked Girona’s seventh loss in their last eight matches across all competitions.
