The domination of Real Madrid during the La Liga match against Girona served them well as they were able to record a comfortable 3-0 score line further cementing their position at the top of the standing. During the match that took center stage at the Montilivi Stadium, all the visitors managed to put up an impressive performance that was supplemented by their attackers as well as strong defending too. Generally, Girona tried but the quality of the Madrid side was too much for them to handle as the match was quite one-sided in the end
Time: First Half – Real Madrid on Full Cruise Control
For as long as the match had started, Real Madrid made it clear that they were the stronger side and were always going to take control over how the game was going to be played. The side of Girona who are known to counter press high up the pitch couldn’t seem to deal with the statement that the Madrid players were looking to instill on them.
A crucial goal during the match was bagged by Real Madrid and their newest star striker Karim Benzema in the 18th minute. Well, the Frenchman this season has shown immense potential and form after getting such a perfectly timed assist from Vinícius Júnior inside the box. All the pressure was on Benzema but the stakes had gotten low as the ball went past Girona’s custodian Juan Carlos, finishing off a beautiful attack from the visiting team.
There was some hope for Girona and that was match winning speed of Cristhian Stuani and Aleix Garcia, however, the combination of David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger allowed zero room error.
Thibaut Courtois, the guard of the Madrid posts, was hardly ever put to the test because Girona found it virtually impossible to break through the wall like defence in front of him.
Real Madrid hardly broke a sweat in this match, with their passing and movement on the pitch doing all the work for them. Luka Modrić and Toni Kroos ruled the centre of the pitch while Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo Goes posed a constant threat on the wings. As it were, the intense and constant pressure from Real Madrid meant that Girona’s defence was as good as non-existent.
Second Half: Madrid’s finishing Says Goodbye to Any Resilience from Girona
However, this was not the case with the players of Girona, who came back after the break to wreak havoc along the pitch. They wanted to get points to turn the tables. But that wish was cut short again by the resilience and perfect execution of Real Madrid.
Five minutes into the second half, Real had their two goal lead again, courtesy of Rodrygo, who scored what turned out to be one of his favourite goals. This entire season, the Brazilian forward has shown what he is capable of and this was just a glimpse. He used a through ball from Modric which allowed him to dash straight through the Girona defence before closing it off with a brilliant finish that rolled right under Juan Carlos.
Despite all their attempts to do so, Girona were never able to find their way back into the game. Having turned the priceless goal scoring opportunities into waste; their attack was at its peak bottleneck of hopelessness as it failed to breach the Madrid backline who easily fended off the likes of Stuani and Riquelme who had some half chances but couldn’t get through Courtois.
With a third goal already sealed in the 75th minute, it did not take long for the team to secure a comfortable victory.
Once again, Karim Benzema was fundamental in the build-up as he picked up a loose ball inside the area before providing an assist to Vinícius Júnior, who made a good run to the far post. The young Brazilian completed the team effort with a precise finish to the bottom corner, ensuring Real Madrid’s stunning man advantage of 3:0 seemed to the opposition an almost impossible task to overcome.
Girona kept on fighting irrespective of the fact that the match was virtually out of hand for them but they did not manage any significant openings as Real Madrid looked in control of the defence. The rest of the game was easy for the hosts to see out.
Principal Participants and Performances.
Karim Benzema: The French forward was also instrumental for Real Madrid’s win as he scored one, and assisted two as Vinicius Junior also scored another. His ability to hold the ball and position himself came in handy to dismantle the Girona’s defense.
Vinícius Júnior: An further excellent performance from the young Brazilian. His pace and ball control always contributed his team to be dangerous in the attack against the defensa of Girona. He scored with one of his amazing goals to cap off a great performance.
Rodrygo Goes: Another good game for the Brazilian forward as he scored one goal and was effective on the right side of the attack. The game play in motion between Modrić, Benzema and Goes was determined in a big way by Real Madrid’s attack game.
Thibaut Courtois: The Belgian keeper did not have the best of nights, but did manage to preserve his clean sheet with aided by some ordinary saves.
Through him being on the defense, Real Madrid was able to stay in charge of the match. The host side found it quite difficult to get into the game and despite some good individual efforts from Aleix Garcia and Cristhian Stuani, they were unable to break Real’s defense. The loss, however, gets Girona to rethink their approach as they go into the next fixtures.
Final Assessment It goes without saying that it was a strong offensive and defensive display by Real Madrid as they went on to beat Girona by 3-0. Benzema, Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo were amongst those who contributed to the win while all that Giron’s efforts could do was outdo Madrid. This result only consolidates Real Madrid’s place on the top of the La Liga tables and sends a signal to the opponents on what to expect of them for the season 2024/25. On the contrary, Girona are at the need of some character tweaking after a bitter result on home soil.
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