Who: Real Madrid vs Girona
Content: Spanish soccer La Liga
Location: Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, Spain
Date and time: Friday, April 10th, 9pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: Get everything ready on Al Jazeera Sports from 16:00 GMT ahead of the live text commentary stream.
Real Madrid welcome Girona back to back-to-back defeats, losing 2-1 to Mallorca in their final La Liga match before losing to Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
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The record winners of the Spanish league will be hoping to gain ground on defending champions Barcelona, who host struggling intercity rivals Espanyol on Saturday.
The Whites head into five decisive days of their season with their return match against Bayern in Germany on Wednesday.
Al Jazeera Sports covers the first of two must-win soccer matches for Real.
How far behind Barcelona is Real Madrid in La Liga?
Barcelona will likely lose the title with eight games remaining.
Hansi Flick’s Catalan side maintain a seven-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid.
If Real don’t win, their title challenge will surely be in tatters.
“We know that every game is important,” Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said on Thursday. “The margin of error is now smaller.”
How did Real Madrid perform in La Liga this season?
Real have won 22 of their 30 La Liga games and lost 5. Barcelona lost four, but won three more.
The season got off to a promising start for new head coach Xabi Alonso, with 13 wins from the first 14 games of the season.
The former Real midfielder’s position was now in jeopardy after a record of two wins out of eight matches. Despite winning five consecutive games, Alonso was forced to leave after losing to rivals Barça in the Super Copa.
Real Madrid’s interim manager Arbeloa was shocked by losing 3-2 to Copa del Rey second division Albacete in his first match, but since then he has recorded 13 wins from 16 games.
However, with consecutive losses in the last two games, that momentum is at risk of stalling.
How did Girona do in La Liga this season?
Girona spent most of the first half of the season in the relegation zone, but improved in 2026.
They have lost only three of their last 13 games, including a 2-1 win over Barcelona in February, but are still in 12th place.
Finally, to Real Madrid
Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane returned from injury in Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg, scoring a goal and helping his side score the extra point in their 2-1 win.
Kylian Mbappé scored for Madrid after the visitors had taken a two-goal lead at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer made some important saves for Bayern, keeping the German champions ahead in the first leg.
The return match will take place in Germany on Wednesday.
Finally, go to Girona.
On Monday, Girona defeated third-placed Villarreal 1-0 in La Liga.
Fourth-placed Atletico Madrid lost at home to Barcelona last weekend, and a win for Villarreal would put them four points behind Diego Simeone’s Atletico.
However, in stoppage time of the first half, Arnau Martinez’s cross hit Pau Navarro and deflected over their own goalkeeper.
This was the only shot on target for both teams in a difficult opening 45 minutes, with both teams far superior in a poor second half.
Girona have moved up two places to 12th place, one point behind Osasuna, Espanyol and Athletic Bilbao.
What happened the last time Real Madrid played Girona?
The two teams played in the first La Liga competition of the season in November, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Azzedine Ounahi gave the hosts the lead just before half-time, but Kylian Mbappé’s penalty in the 67th minute sealed the point.
What happened in the corresponding match last season?
Real won 3-0 in last season’s La Liga match in December 2024.
Jude Bellingham gave the Whites a first-half lead, with Arda Guler and Mbappé scoring the winner in the second period.
When was the last time Girona beat Real Madrid?
Girona’s last win against Real was three seasons ago, in April 2023, when they won 4-2 at home in La Liga.
Girona quickly extended their lead to two with Valentin Castellanos scoring all four goals, but Vinicius Junior pulled one back before the break.
Castellanos, who was on loan from New York City at the time and now playing for West Ham in the Premier League, reaffirmed his side’s dominance by scoring two more goals in the second period before Lucas Vázquez equalized for the Whites late on.
direct confrontation
This is the 14th time the two sides have faced each other, with Real Madrid winning eight games and Girona winning three.
Real Madrid team news
Real manager Alvaro Arbeloa has said that Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga will both start for Madrid against Girona. Bellingham is working towards returning to top form after injury, while Camavinga has been linked with a move to the Premier League.
Real will be without Rodrygo, Thibaut Courtois and Franco Mastantuono, but could call up Ferland Mendy if he passes late fitness tests following a hamstring injury.
Real Madrid’s projected starting lineup
Lunin; Carvajal, Militao, Huisen, F. Garcia. Valverde, Choameni, Camavinga. Gular; Vinicius, Mbappe
Girona team news
Girona are battling a number of injuries ahead of their trip to Madrid. Portu, Donny van de Beek, Juan Carlos, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Ricard Artelo are all confirmed to be absent, while Vladislav Vanat and Daley Blind are also doubts with injuries.
Girona’s predicted starting lineup
Gazzaniga. Martinez, Reis, Blind, Moreno. Bertrand, Witsel; Tsygankov, Martin, Ounahi. Lewis
