Madrid, Spain.
Another consecutive puncture, this time against the Girona (1-1), was the definitive epilogue of the fight real Madrid for the Spanish Leaguea title practically unattainable when it appears in the Champions League he Bayern Munichthe last burning nail that the white team is clinging to to save the season.
There is only the Champions. It is the refuge of the men of Alvaro Arbeloa to a course that aims at zero degrees, like the previous one. On Wednesday they must come back from 1-2 in Munich and not even that guarantees returns, because after that there are semi-finals and a final. The disaster seems evident and this real Madrid seems far from miracles.
Before the opening whistle, LaLiga It was already an exercise of faith for the team Arbeloawho faced the visit of Girona with a look beyond the present, like someone playing a game thinking about the next. Because what appears on the horizon is the Bayern and weighs more. A lot more. Seven points of distance that could be nine, the Camp Nou as the last frontier and the need for the Barcelona stumbled on countless occasions, they drew a scenario that invites more epic than arithmetic.
Said Arbeloa on the eve that there would be no rotations and ‘only’ seven new faces appeared regarding the stumble before the Bayernthree heavy weights directly at rest -Carreras, Alexander-Arnold and Rüdiger- and some other decisions with a Munich aroma.
Because football, at these levels, is always played on several boards at the same time. Tchouaménisuspended for the Champions League, waited his turn from the bench. Camavinga He took command in the engine room, rehearsing for what is to come. Bellingham and Militaryin need of competitive rhythm, added more minutes also with their sights set on the Allianz Arena.
He Gironafor his part, came with what was his: a permanence almost in his pocket and prudence as a bet. Michel recomposed his defense with French by Blind and opted for Echeverri upstairs, without opening the door Abel Ruiz. A clear plan: resist, close spaces and see if the flute sounded in any opposition.
The match responded to the planned script. He Girona He collected himself with discipline and only once appeared in danger, in a shot from Ouhani that complicated Lunin. Little more. He real Madridwithout any apparent urgency, walked the first half with a certain slowness, as if he measured energy. There was dominance, yes, but without emotional overflow. With more intention than vertigo.
Among this contained rhythm, two proper names emerged: Bellingham and Carvajal. The Englishman, powerful at the start, driving with that stride that seems to eat meters effortlessly. The winger, another of the novelties, firm at the back and deep at the top, generating the most interesting part of the white attack from his side. From his boots came the clearest chance of the opening act, a send to Valverde that found a fine response from Gazzaniga.
They also tried Mbappewhose cross shot saved a defender on the line; his own Bellinghamarriving right at a center of Brahma; and Viníciuswho failed to make another good incursion on the right of Carvajal. He lacked edge and that spark that turns dominance into an advantage that he did achieve Valverde after the restart: kick from Valverdelaziness of Gazzaniga and goal.
The Uruguayan unblocked the game. At the right moment, before the alarms rang, with 45 minutes left to increase the rent and end an awkward crash before traveling to Munich. But he real Madridthis course, is unable to impose himself with authority in many duels. Girona got up and Lemarfrom the front, tied with a great left foot. Camavingaas in Son Moix, appeared in the photo.
The player’s goal Girona sank the real Madrid. The little fluidity they enjoyed in the first half completely disappeared. The ghosts of recent punctures like that of the Getafe or the Majorca and the traffic jam was monumental. There were no more chances, except for a possible penalty that will bring a queue of Vitor Reis about Mbappe in the 85th minute. Alberola Rojas He didn’t whistle it, the 1-1 score didn’t move from the scoreboard and the comeback in Munich seems like a chimera.
— TECHNICAL SHEET:
.- Real Madrid: Lunin; Carvajal, Militao (Huijsen, min. 64), Asencio, Fran García (Mendy, min. 80); Valverde, Camavinga (Tchouaméni, min. 80), Bellingham (Güler, min. 64); Brahim, Mbappé and Vinícius.
1.- Girona: Gazzaniga; Arnau, Francés, Vitor Reis, Álex Moreno; Lemar (Hugo Rincón, min. 70), Witsel, Iván Martín (Fran Beltrán, min. 84); Tsygankov, Ouhani (Bryan Gil, min. 70) and Echeverri (Abel Ruiz, min. 64) (Stuani, min. 85).
Goals: 1-0, min. 50: Valverde; 1-1, min. 61: Lemar.
Referee: Javier Alberola Rojas (Castilian-Manchego Committee). He showed a yellow card to Mbappé (min. 35) and Valverde (min. 76) for Real Madrid and Hugo Rincón (min. 88) for Girona.
Incidents: match corresponding to the thirty-first day of LaLiga EA Sports played at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in front of nearly 70,000 spectators.
