In La Liga Matchday 14, Real Madrid were held to a 1–1 draw away against relegation-zone side Girona, despite coming from behind after conceding the opening goal.
Real Madrid’s form on the road has continued to struggle. Across their ongoing run of six consecutive away matches, they have managed only one win, three draws, and one defeat in the first five games. These include matches against Rayo Vallecano (currently 11th), Elche (10th), and Girona (18th).
Top Spot Taken by Barcelona
Following this draw, Real Madrid’s place at the top of the league table was overtaken by their arch-rivals, Barcelona.
Earlier in the season, Real Madrid had led the standings by five points after 11 rounds, but they now sit second with 33 points, one point behind defending champions Barcelona, who have 34.
Alonso: Real Madrid Must Maintain High Standards
Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso addressed the media after the match, saying: “We are still very much in the title race. The teams are very close in points, and the season is long. We must continue working hard and maintain the high standards that come with representing Real Madrid.”
Real Madrid will next face Athletic Bilbao on December 3, a match that will conclude their nearly month-long run of away fixtures.
Girona Strike First
In this match, Madrid faced a Girona side that has been stuck in the relegation zone since Matchday 2. However, Los Blancos found themselves trailing before halftime.
In the 45th minute, Ounahi fired a powerful shot inside the box to give Girona the opening goal.
Real Madrid Miss Several Chances to Equalise
Despite recording 24 shots with five on target, Madrid saw two goals disallowed by VAR, Mbappé’s strike in the 41st minute due to handball, and Vinícius Jr.’s goal in the 63rd minute due to offside, costing them opportunities to level the score earlier.
Mbappé Converts the Penalty
It wasn’t until the 67th minute that Madrid finally earned a key penalty after Vinícius Jr. was brought down in the box. Mbappé stepped up and converted confidently to level the score.
However, Madrid failed to score in the remaining minutes, ultimately settling for a 1–1 draw.
Real Betis Defeat Sevilla 2–0 in the Seville Derby
Another highlight of the day was the Seville Derby. Real Betis claimed a 2–0 victory over their city rivals, Sevilla, who finished the match with 10 men. Fornals and Altimira scored the goals that secured Betis’ win.
