Sports
LaLiga: Real Madrid Held by Girona as Title Hopes Take Hit
Real Madrid saw their La Liga title ambitions dented after a frustrating 1-1 draw against Girona FC on Friday night.
Despite dominating possession at home, Madrid failed to secure all three points, leaving them six points behind league leaders FC Barcelona with just seven matches remaining in the season.
The hosts took the lead through Federico Valverde, whose stunning 25-yard strike lit up the match. However, Girona responded with an equally impressive effort from Thomas Lemar, who leveled the score with a brilliant left-footed finish.
The game was overshadowed by a late controversy involving Kylian Mbappé. In the 88th minute, the forward went down inside the penalty area after appearing to be struck in the face by an opponent’s raised arm, an incident that left him bleeding. Referee Javier Alberola Rojas waved play on, with no intervention from VAR, sparking outrage from the Madrid bench.
Head coach Álvaro Arbeloa did not hide his frustration after the match, describing the incident as “a clear penalty from here to the moon.”
The result marks Real Madrid’s third consecutive winless outing since Mbappé returned to the starting lineup, raising concerns at a critical stage of the campaign.
With the title race intensifying, Madrid now turn their focus to a decisive El Clásico clash against Barcelona on May 10, a fixture that could define their season.
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