Girona vs Real Madrid Ends 1-1 After Mbappé Converts Crucial Penalty

Kylian Mbappe’s second-half penalty saved Real Madrid a point but Xabi Alonso’s side missed the chance to top La Liga with a 1-1 draw at Girona.

Mbappe stayed calm to steer in his 14th league goal of the season midway through the second half and cancel out Azzedine Ouunahi’s opener for the home side.

Real have now drawn three league games in a row to sit a point behind rivals Barcelona in a congested table.

Villarreal are only a point behind in third, with Atletico Madrid another point back in a tight top four.

Real were eight points clear of Barca at the start of November after thrashing Valencia but are in a tricky run of form.

Girona scored the opener just before the break when Viktor Tsygankov led a rapid counter-attack down the right channel. The Ukrainian delivered a pinpoint low cross to Ounahi, who fired a thunderous strike into the top corner from just inside the box, leaving Thibaut Courtois with no chance.

Madrid’s persistence eventually paid off in the 67th minute. Vinicius Jr’s mazy run from the left led to a foul inside the box, earning the visitors a penalty. Mbappe stepped up to calmly slot his effort into the bottom-left corner, narrowly beyond the reach of former Tottenham keeper Paulo Gazzaniga.

Real face Athletic Bilbao in midweek before hosting Celta Vigo next Sunday night.