Real Madrid faced Catalan side Girona FC in between their two-legged tie against Bayern Munich. For me personally, it was a special evening as I had the opportunity to work as a photographer during the match. It was also La Liga’s Retro Weekend, giving the entire matchday a classic old-school feel. Girona played in retro shirts, while Real Madrid did not take part in the initiative.
Last weekend, the Madrid side surprisingly went down 2–1 away at Mallorca. A few days later, they lost again at home to the team of Vincent Kompany by the same scoreline. For the home side, this was a must win game, as league leaders Barcelona had already extended their lead to seven points the previous weekend.
The visitors are best known for their remarkable season two years ago, when they shocked the football world. They finished third in La Liga with outstanding performances, collecting no fewer than 81 points and securing their first ever Champions League qualification.
However, very little remains of that successful team today. Girona started the season poorly and spent a long time at the bottom of the table. But the team, featuring Belgian international Axel Witsel, managed to recover well and has improved results since late November. The first meeting with Real Madrid ended in a 1–1 draw.
The home side knew they had to win and started the match with a very strong lineup, with Kylian Mbappé, Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham all in the starting eleven.
Real Madrid came close to scoring in the first half. Mbappé, Bellingham and Valverde all had big chances but failed to convert. It was far from one way traffic, as Girona also created opportunities but could not beat an alert Andriy Lunin.
Supporters inside the stadium expected a stronger second half and were quickly rewarded after the break. Valverde tried his luck from distance, with Paulo Gazzaniga needing to do better. The Argentine goalkeeper let the ball slip into the net, giving Los Blancos a 1–0 lead.
However, the advantage did not last long. Girona continued to compete strongly in the second half and got their reward. Thomas Lemar showed no hesitation and struck a powerful shot from outside the penalty area, beating Lunin. A superb goal from the French international brought the visitors level and put Real Madrid under real pressure again.
The visitors continued to pose the greater threat for a while after their deserved equaliser, with every attack drawing whistles from a frustrated Bernabéu crowd.
The mood did not improve when Kylian Mbappé fired a near post shot straight at Gazzaniga in an attempt to find a late winner, shortly after having a penalty appeal turned down. The entire stadium was in disbelief, but referee Javier Arbeloa stood by his decision. Real Madrid failed to score again and the match ended in a draw.
Following consecutive defeats against Mallorca and Bayern Munich, they now had to settle for a point, knowing that Barcelona could move nine points clear in the title race. This result now seems to have effectively decided the league title.
Los Blancos now must win next week away at Bayern Munich if they still want to salvage something from their season. If they fail to eliminate Vincent Kompany’s side, the campaign could already feel over by mid April.
