- Real Madrid ended their four-match winless run in La Liga with a 2-0 home victory over Girona
- Luka Modrić (41’) and Vinícius Júnior (83’) secured the three points, keeping Los Blancos level with Barcelona at the top of the table
- David Alaba made his first start in 434 days, returning after a long injury layoff
Key Takeaways:
Real Madrid kept pace in the La Liga title race with a 2-0 victory over Girona at the Santiago Bernabéu, maintaining the three-way battle at the top alongside Barcelona and Atlético Madrid.
Luka Modrić opened the scoring with a stunning strike in the 41st minute, marking Real’s first league victory in four matches. Vinícius Júnior added the second in the 83rd minute, securing a well-deserved win for Los Blancos, who controlled the game but were denied a bigger margin by missed chances and a hit post.
🤍 ¡HALA MADRID! 🤍 pic.twitter.com/pKI1tQHJ3v
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) February 23, 2025
The match saw David Alaba make his first start in 434 days, replacing Antonio Rüdiger in the lineup. The Austrian defender had been sidelined since December 2023 due to a serious injury and played around 70 minutes before being substituted. Jude Bellingham was suspended, allowing Brahim Díaz to feature, while Federico Valverde was rested after heavy involvement throughout the season.
Girona, last season’s surprise package, sit 12th in the table with 31 points, trailing fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao by 17 points. Meanwhile, Real Madrid remain second with 54 points, level with leaders Barcelona but behind on goal difference. Their next challenge will be a Copa del Rey quarter-final clash against Real Sociedad on Wednesday, followed by a league trip to Real Betis.