Madrid Slip Again as Girona Hold Firm in Frustrating 1–1 Draw

Real Madrid’s hunt for the LaLiga summit hit another snag as they were forced to settle for a third straight draw, this time against a Girona side fighting at the wrong end of the table.

The hosts struck first just before the break, with Azzedine Ounahi punishing Madrid’s sluggish defending by sweeping in Viktor Tsygankov’s pass. It was Girona’s first goal against Los Blancos since 2023, and it came after earlier warning shots that Madrid failed to heed.

Kylian Mbappé eventually dragged Madrid level from the penalty spot in the 67th minute, his 28th strike in 23 matches, after Vinícius Júnior was clipped in the box. But even with their star forward firing, Madrid couldn’t find a winner.

Chances came and went: Militão threatened from set pieces, Tchouaméni and Vinícius kept misfiring, and Mbappé even had a goal chalked off by VAR for handball. Girona, meanwhile, rode their luck and held firm for a precious point.

Madrid, who started the weekend above Barcelona, ended it trailing their rivals, with only one win in their last five outings to show for their recent struggles.