For the third game in a row, Real Madrid have failed to win as they settled for a 1-1 tie with Girona at the Bernabéu on Friday night. Fede Valverde scored a trademark long-distance effort early in the second half, before Thomas Lemar equalised only 11 minutes later for the Catalans. Late penalty appeals for an elbow to Kylian Mbappé were turned down and Real Madrid were forced to settle for a point.
Three answers
1. How much rotation would there be?
Given the season-defining UEFA Champions League quarter-final
second leg in Munich coming up on Wednesday, it was logical to expect there to be some changes to the side. That was the case in defence, where there were four changes from the team that played in the first leg on Tuesday, and midfield, where there were three changes. What didn’t change was the attack. While on the one hand, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior’s persistence is admirable, it also raises concerns. There’s more on Mbappé later in this piece, but the complete lack of rotation for this duo was reminiscent of late 2025, with Mbappé going for his calendar year record, eventually leading to injury, all while depriving the reserve options of game time. As it emerged that Gonzalo García could be sold this summer, he got just six minutes off the bench, his first appearance in a month, and he has not started in six weeks. That’s despite being fully fit and available, and scoring 10 goals in 17 games when starting this season, including the Club World Cup.
2. Would Real Madrid concede again?
With no Thibaut Courtois between the sticks, Real Madrid have now conceded in eight consecutive league matches. That’s the longest run since 2019. It also means yet another disastrous record for Álvaro Arbeloa, who became the coach to concede the highest number of goals in his first 20 games in charge this century, with 24 goals conceded in 20 games. In his defence, he has handled a defence decimated by injuries, with all of his arguably strongest back four and his starting goalkeeper out at different times, and taking over mid-season doesn’t help matters either, putting him up against elite competition in knock-out fixtures from the off. But the record still stands. With Bayern up next, there’s little motivation to be optimistic that this dreadful run could be coming to an end anytime soon.
3. Would Eduardo Camavinga redeem himself?
Having been held responsible for one of Mallorca’s goals last weekend, Eduardo Camavinga was offered an almost immediate opportunity with redemption as Aurélien Tchouameni was booked on Tuesday to earn him a suspension for the second leg which almost certainly will mean Camavinga replaces him, and he started in that deeper holding role here as an audition. “I wanted to see Eduardo in that position,” Arbeloa said post-match. “He feels comfortable as a defensive midfielder and it’s the position where he performs best, so it was important to see him play there and for him to understand what I want from him.” He was more effective here, winning five duels and adding some bite defensively, but remained lackadaisical in his pressing, giving Thomas Lemar space to shoot from the edge of the box and score, and was dribbled past twice. Not ideal preparation for Munich.
Three questions
1. Is that the nail in the coffin for the title race?
After Barcelona won their Catalan derby against Espanyol on Saturday evening, they moved nine points clear at the top of La Liga. That means that Real Madrid need them to lose three of their remaining seven games at the very least just to draw level, while they play Celta Vigo, Getafe, Osasuna, Real Madrid, Alavés, Real Betis and Valencia. Even counting on a Clásico victory at Camp Nou in May (which could be the game in which Barcelona seal the title), that seems an optimistic proposition. It’s clear that the focus of the club is now on the Champions League and salvaging the tie against Bayern Munich, but there must be reflection on how this team were seven points clear after October’s Clásico and could go into the second Clásico of the season more than nine points behind.
2. Are Real Madrid capable of pressing effectively?
A debate which has gone on all season long was flagged up once again as Girona’s goal emerged from a poorly-conceded move. It all began as Jude Bellingham pushed forward to press and was caught out, with spaces left in behind and Eduardo Camavinga slow to close down. It left a lopsided press once again exposing the Real Madrid defence. It’s increasingly clear that this front three are unable to press in unison, and that causes a chain reaction of players left exposed deeper down the pitch. In some cases, with engines like Luka Modrić or with defensive reading like Casemiro, it might be a situation which can be salvaged. With the current Real Madrid midfield, the players in the squad aren’t up to that. As such, the structure breaks down and opponents, even like Girona, far from the elite of Bayern Munich, can find holes and exploit them.
3. Is the Bernabéu turning on Kylian Mbappé?
Throughout this season, it has not been unusual for players and the team to be whistled and booed as poor results have racked up. One player who has remained fairly exempt from that has been Kylian Mbappé. Until now. The Frenchman failed to score despite racking up 0.85 xG, missing six chances in total. His work rate was slack, and it was a third game without a win in his third consecutive start, after five wins in a row without him. Being captured on camera dining with his celebrity girlfriend late into the night will have done little to calm the frustration of some fans. There is clearly a desire for a scapegoat this season and a figure to take the brunt of the frustration, and Vinícius Júnior already showed he could bounce back and prove his point, now it’s up to Mbappé.
