Real Madrid were forced to settle for a frustrating 1–1 draw against Girona at the Santiago Bernabéu after a strong opening performance faded during the second half.
Los Blancos lined up in a 4-3-3 formation with Dani Carvajal, Brahim Díaz, and Jude Bellingham returning to the starting lineup, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen began the night on the bench. Girona matched Madrid’s shape with a 4-3-3 setup of their own.
The visitors kicked off the match, but Real Madrid immediately looked sharper and more aggressive in the opening minutes.
Within the first five minutes, Eduardo Camavinga delivered an excellent long pass to Kylian Mbappé, sending the French forward through on goal. However, Mbappé’s touch carried him slightly too wide, allowing goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga to close the angle and deny the opening goal.
Real Madrid continued dominating possession and attacking relentlessly during the early stages. Their defense looked organized and solid, while the attack constantly pressured Girona’s back line.
Despite Madrid’s intensity, Girona showed resilience defensively and managed to block several dangerous opportunities. The visitors also reminded the Bernabéu crowd of their threat on the counterattack.
Girona nearly shocked the home side in the 13th minute when a dangerous effort narrowly missed the post, forcing Lunin to react quickly despite the ball going just wide.
Vinicius Jr. began finding more space as the half progressed, combining well with Camavinga and creating dangerous moments down the left flank. Mbappé also continued testing Girona’s defense, although the visitors defended bravely throughout the opening half.
Jude Bellingham made his return to the starting lineup after recovering from a hamstring injury, and the English midfielder gradually became more influential as the game continued.
Federico Valverde came close to opening the scoring midway through the first half with a powerful effort from outside the area, but Gazzaniga once again produced an excellent save.
Real Madrid continued creating pressure through Brahim Díaz and Bellingham, though Girona’s goalkeeper remained one of the standout performers of the first half.
Tensions rose shortly before halftime when Kylian Mbappé received the first yellow card of the night after kicking the ball toward a fallen Girona player.
The first half ended goalless despite Real Madrid controlling large portions of possession and creating the more dangerous opportunities.
Madrid returned for the second half with even greater attacking urgency.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 51st minute through Federico Valverde.
Brahim Díaz picked out the Uruguayan midfielder outside the box, and Valverde unleashed a powerful strike from distance that beat Gazzaniga and gave Real Madrid a deserved lead.
The Bernabéu erupted as Madrid appeared to finally take control of the match.
Following the goal, Real Madrid continued attacking aggressively, with Vinicius Jr. repeatedly causing problems for Girona’s defense.
Álvaro Arbeloa also began preparing changes, with Arda Güler, Dean Huijsen, Daniel Yáñez, and Gonzalo García all warming up on the touchline.
Despite Madrid’s dominance, Girona suddenly found an equalizer completely against the flow of play.
In the 61st minute, Thomas Lemar received a pass from Arnau Martínez and struck a sensational effort into the far corner from outside the box, leaving Lunin with no chance.
The equalizer changed the momentum of the match immediately.
Real Madrid began to lose control during the following minutes, while Girona grew increasingly confident in possession. The visitors started attacking more aggressively and created several dangerous moments around Madrid’s penalty area.
Arbeloa responded with substitutions, introducing Dean Huijsen and Arda Güler while later bringing on Tchouaméni, Ferland Mendy, and Gonzalo García in search of a winning goal.
Dean Huijsen nearly restored Madrid’s lead with a powerful header from Fran García’s cross, but the effort sailed just over the crossbar.
As the final minutes approached, Real Madrid struggled to create clear chances despite dominating possession once again. Girona defended with discipline and managed the closing stages intelligently.
Six minutes of added time were awarded, but Madrid’s attacks lacked the creativity and sharpness needed to find a late winner.
The final whistle confirmed a disappointing result for Real Madrid, who failed to secure victory for the third consecutive match.
While Federico Valverde once again delivered a standout performance with another spectacular goal, Girona’s resilience and defensive organization earned them an important point at the Bernabéu.