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Real Madrid stormed back to winning ways with a 2-0 home victory over Girona on Sunday, moving up to second place in La Liga level on points with Barcelona in first place. A blistering first-half volley by Luka Modric and a late Vinicius Junior strike sealed the win, which lifted Madrid to 54 points after 25 games, level with Barcelona but trailing on the head-to-head count.
Madrid took out time to settle into the match, but gradually exerted control before Modric’s sublime long-range volley arrowed into the top corner in the 41st minute. The goal, from a poor corner clearance fell to Modric, who unleashed a powerful shot that gave Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga no chance. Modric being technical as Modric has always been expertly controlled the ball before striking it with precision.
The hosts’ attackers kept the Girona defense busy throughout the game, combining for the second goal in the 83rd minute. Kylian Mbappe played through Vinicius, who poked his shot under Gazzaniga to seal the win from a well-worked move, which saw Mbappe receive a pass on the edge of the box before playing a through ball to Vinicius. Vinicius’ finish was typically clinical, as he calmly slotted the ball past Gazzaniga.
The win further boosts Madrid’s title hopes, keeping them in contention with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Girona, on the other hand, suffered their third consecutive defeat in the domestic competition, worsening their poor run. Real Madrid’s manager, Carlo Ancelotti, had warned about the importance of “fresh legs” following the exhausting Champions League clash against Manchester City. As a result, he made four changes to the starting lineup, with Modric justifying the decision by opening the score.
Thibaut Courtois also played a vital role, making two crucial saves against Arnau Martinez and Viktor Tsygankov in the 5th and 30th minutes, respectively, to keep Real Madrid in control before taking the lead.
What a strike