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Sports
23 February 2025

Real Madrid Edges Girona With Modric's Striking Golazo

Luka Modric's stunning goal underlines Madrid's league ambitions amid Girona's search for consistency.

On February 23, 2025, Real Madrid clinched a narrow 1-0 victory against Girona at the Santiago Bernabéu during their La Liga EA Sports encounter. The match marked the 25th round of the league and was characterized by tense moments and contrasting strategies from both managers.

Carlo Ancelotti fielded a starting eleven featuring Lucas Vázquez, David Alaba, Luka Modric, and Brahim Díaz, making strategic changes to bolster the team's performance following recent matches. Notably, Jude Bellingham was absent due to suspension, prompting Ancelotti to rotate his players and rest key starters like Fede Valverde and Antonio Rüdiger.

Meanwhile, Girona's coach Míchel Sánchez adopted a defensive approach, setting up with five at the back and opting for two forwards, Viktor Tsygankov and Arnaut Danjuma, as the primary offensive threats.

The first half saw Real Madrid dominate possession; they took the lead just before halftime with a spectacular goal by Luka Modric. The Croatian midfielder unleashed a powerful right-footed shot from outside the box, which soared past the Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga and hit the crossbar before settling gracefully inside the net. Modric's goal, coming at the 40-minute mark, stemmed from a corner kick situation and was celebrated as one of the best strikes of the match.

Before Modric’s breakthrough, Girona had shown their own threat. Thibaut Courtois, the Real Madrid goalkeeper, had to come up big, making impressive saves against attempts from Arnau Martínez and Donny van de Beek, keeping Madrid afloat during times of Girona pressure. Despite Girona's efforts, they failed to convert multiple opportunities, with Tsygankov missing what many considered their clearest chance.

Real Madrid maintained most of the ball after the goal, attempting to control the game and reduce the risk of conceding. Their offense, led by Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé, was relentless but struggled to break through Girona's determined defense. Manager Ancelotti introduced substitutes like Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos to freshen up the midfield, aiming to hold onto their lead.

Girona, now with Arthur Melo subbing on for Van de Beek at the start of the second half, sought to equalize. Míchel's strategy aimed to reinvigorate their attack by introducing fresh legs, hoping to capitalize on any defensive lapses from Madrid.

Throughout the second half, Girona pressed for the equalizer, creating several opportunities but faced continuous resistance from Real’s backline, marshaled well by Alaba and Vázquez. Despite the revival and substitutions, including bringing on Jhon Solís and Bryan Gil, they struggled to orchestrate impactful moves. Their attempts were often thwarted either by Courtois or by the defensive organization of the Madrid side.

The game culminated without any additional goals, solidifying Real Madrid's position as they continue to chase league leaders Barcelona and Atlético Madrid. With 51 points now secured, Madrid remains two points behind Atlético and three shy of Barcelona after their respective victories on matchday 25.

Meanwhile, Girona’s aspirations for climbing up the league table took another hit, securing only 31 points and remaining 11th as they contend with inconsistent performances.

This match setback was particularly tough for the Girona squad, who have aspirations of following last season's competitive spirit where they managed to challenge top teams consistently. They were reminded of the historical challenges they face when aiming for points against such formidable opponents like Real Madrid, who they have managed to beat on three previous occasions.

A unique aspect of this matchup was the interaction of several players who have past accolades against Real Madrid, with six Girona players - including Daley Blind, Donny Van de Beek, Cristhian Stuani, Juanpe, Portu, and Arthur - having previously defeated Madrid at the Bernabéu during the 2018-19 season, boosting their confidence level heading to the famous stadium.

Moving forward, both clubs will look to regroup: Real Madrid remains hungry to close the gap at the top of La Liga, and Girona will seek to recover and reshape their strategy to earn points to avoid slipping down the table.