Real Madrid held by Girona, title hopes fade
The result denied Real Madrid a crucial opportunity to cut the gap at the top to four points ahead of FC Barcelona’s clash with RCD Espanyol on Saturday.
KATHMANDU: Real Madrid’s La Liga title hopes suffered a major blow after they were held to a 1–1 draw by Girona FC on Friday, further complicating their position in the title race.
The result denied Real Madrid a crucial opportunity to cut the gap at the top to four points ahead of FC Barcelona’s clash with RCD Espanyol on Saturday.
Instead, Madrid’s inconsistent run continues following recent defeats against RCD Mallorca and Bayern Munich.
The first half offered little excitement, though Federico Valverde came close on several occasions but failed to beat goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga early on.
Madrid finally broke the deadlock in the 51st minute when Valverde unleashed a powerful strike from 25 yards.
However, Girona responded just 11 minutes later, with Thomas Lemar firing home a superb effort from the edge of the box to level the match.
Despite increasing pressure in the closing stages, Madrid were unable to find a winner.
A late attempt from Kylian Mbappé was denied by Gazzaniga in the 86th minute, ensuring the points were shared.
If Barcelona secure victory on Saturday, they could extend their lead at the top to nine points.
Real Madrid currently sit on 70 points from 31 matches, while Girona remain 12th with 38 points.
