Credit: IMAGO / IPA Sport

Real Madrid Lose Ground in Title Race After Hard-Fought Draw Against Girona

Credit: IMAGO / IPA Sport

Real Madrid were forced to settle for a share of the points once again on Sunday evening. Kylian Mbappe’s second-half penalty salvaged a 1-1 draw away to struggling Girona. The draw left Los Blancos second in the La Liga table, a point behind leaders Barcelona.

Azzedine Ounahi gave the hosts a shock lead on the stroke of half-time. Ounahi finished brilliantly into the top corner after a swift counter exposed Madrid’s loose defensive shape. Relegation-threatened Girona frustrated Madrid with compact defending, smart pressing and sharp transitions. The home side limited Xabi Alonso’s men to only one first-half effort on target.

🏁 FT: @GironaFC_ENGL 1-1 @RealMadridEN
⚽ 45' Ounahi
⚽ 67' @KMbappe (p.)
👉 @Emirates pic.twitter.com/FMlDXd8TNF
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) November 30, 2025

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Mbappe Penalty Helps Real Madrid Earn Draw

Mbappe thought he had opened the scoring earlier in the half, bundling home through traffic. But VAR ruled the goal out for handball. Girona punished that wasted opportunity ruthlessly before the break. Madrid were far sharper after the restart, attacking centrally with greater urgency and using Vinicius Jr’s width to pull defenders out of shape.

The Brazilian did find the net shortly after the hour, but his effort was ruled offside. There was relief finally for Alonso’s side in the 67th minute when Vinicius was clipped in the box and Mbappe answered from the spot. Fresh off a four-goal Champions League display against Olympiakos, Kylian Mbappe scored his 23rd goal in 19 matches this season,

The Frenchman nearly completed the comeback deep into stoppage time but his effort went inches wide. Girona held firm to secure a valuable point and handed Real their third consecutive draw in La Liga. The result leaves with only one win in their last five across all competitions. Girona, meanwhile, will take confidence from a disciplined and resilient performance as their fight for survival continues.

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Girona

Kylian Mbappe

La Liga

La Liga 2025-26

Real Madrid

Abhinav Goel

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I am a soccer writer at The PlayOffs, covering everything from match analysis to transfer buzz and tactical deep dives. Ever since I was a kid, soccer has been more than just a sport to me—it’s been an obsession. Playing and watching the game from a young age fueled my passion, eventually leading me into the world of sports media and betting. Now, I get to analyze the sport I love and bring the latest updates to fans worldwide.