By our football correspondent
Just when it looked like Real Madrid were ready to cruise toward the finish line, the wheels haven’t just come off—they’ve been stolen. The vibe at the Bernabéu tonight is going to be thick with tension. Álvaro Arbeloa’s men are staring down the barrel of a disastrous week, having been humbled by Mallorca in the league before getting slapped 2–1 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals.
If they don’t wake up tonight against a tricky Girona side, this season—once promising—is going to end in a very expensive whimper.
The Great Title Escape?
Let’s be real: the La Liga title is currently Barcelona’s to lose. With a massive seven-point gap at the top, Madrid are effectively playing for pride and to keep the vultures away. Sitting on 69 points after 30 matches, they can’t afford another slip-up if they want to keep the “mathematically possible” dream alive.
But it’s not just about the points. It’s about the soul of this team. Last week’s 2-1 loss to Mallorca was a wake-up call that most of the squad seemingly slept through.
Team News: A Hospital Ward in Madrid
The injury list at Valdebebas is starting to look like a script for a medical drama.
• Rodrygo is gone for the long haul with an ACL nightmare.
• Thibaut Courtois is out with a thigh issue, meaning Andriy Lunin has to step up between the sticks.
• Franco Mastantuono is sitting this one out on suspension.
The silver lining? Ferland Mendy is back in training, and despite carrying knocks, Jude Bellingham and Eder Militao are expected to start. All eyes, however, are on Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Junior. These two were brought together to destroy teams like Girona; tonight, they need to prove they can actually do it under pressure.
Girona: The Injured Underdog
Don’t let Girona’s 12th-place standing fool you. Míchel’s side has already claimed the scalps of Barcelona and Athletic Club this year. They are coming off a massive win against Villarreal and will be smelling blood in the water.
However, they are also limping. They’ve lost their top scorer Vladyslav Vanat for nearly three months, and veterans like Daley Blind are major doubts. Abel Ruiz will likely lead the line, hoping to exploit a Madrid defense that looked remarkably fragile in Munich.
The Verdict
Madrid should win this. They must win this. Girona is depleted and inconsistent, but if Arbeloa hasn’t fixed the defensive lapses that cost them against Mallorca, we could be in for another “Sunday morning miracle” for the underdog—only it’s Friday night.
Expect a gritty, ugly affair. Madrid will likely edge it 2-1, but don’t expect the Bernabéu crowd to be happy about it.
