Match report: Girona secure historic win at the Bernabéu

Real Madrid 1-2 Girona: match report

It looked like it would be a walk in the park for most of the first half but Real Madrid shot themselves in the foot again in their pursuit of Barcelona at the summit of LaLiga. After a long and difficult run of games against Barcelona, Atlético Madrid and Ajax in which they didn't lose, they came undone against a Girona side who are battling against relegation.

Santiago Solari made six changes from the side that beat Ajax midweek and left Vinicius on the bench for the first game in 12 while Marcelo, Odriozola Marco Asensio and Ceballos were offered chances on Sunday afternoon in the capital.

Girona's manager, Eusebio, had lost nine consecutive games against Real Madrid stretching back to his spell as Real Sociedad's boss and with Real Madrid supposedly moving into another gear in recent weeks, the omens were not good for 17th-placed Girona.

Casemiro gave Real Madrid the lead after 25 minutes when he headed a Toni Kroos cross from the right into the bottom corner. It seemed a formality at that point with chances falling Madrid's way when they pleased. Vazquez had been rejected and Benzema was close to turning a low cross home too. But they couldn't build on their lead.

Girona looked dangerous in isolated spells with Stuani and Portu looking lively but it would be a stretch to suggest they were causing problems for Real Madrid. It felt like Real Madrid could win by whatever score they wanted in that first half.

Marco Asensio was looking sharp on the left in his first start in two months with help from Marcelo but it was that area of the field where it fell apart in the second half.

Real Madrid were starting to lose concentration from the start and Girona went close through Granell, who blazed a saved Lozano header over the bar. That was the warning shot that the hosts didn't heed. Or they did heed it and couldn't change the tide.

Stuani equalised from the spot on 65 minutes when a cross into the box was headed down and a shot was fired at Sergio Ramos. He put his hands up to block it and the ref spotted the crime, dishing out a yellow in the process.

10 minutes later, Chucky Lozano struck only to see his effort saved by Courtois but Portu was on hand and free of his marker to head home from a tight angle at the back post.

Real Madrid's afternoon was about to get worse as Sergio Ramos was sent off for a second yellow as he tried to chilena his way to an equaliser.

The gap between Real Madrid in third and Barcelona at the top of the table returns to nine points as Solari will be wondering how to eradicate these performances. Girona with their first win at the Bernabéu might still go down this season but they can say they took Real Madrid's title challenge with them in the process if they do.

Real Madrid 1-2 Girona live online: as it happened 

Real Madrid vs Girona live online: preview

Real Madrid return to LaLiga action on Sunday afternoon as they welcome Girona, who are struggling with relegation but always like playing los Blancos. Their three games against each other in the past have produced 17 goals with the visitors on Sunday winning one and losing the other two previous encounters. Real Madrid are coming out the other end of a hectic schedule with a raft of Copa, LaLiga and Champions League bundled together and will be looking to restore Barcelona's six-point lead at the top of the table, which they extended on Saturday night with a win over Valladolid.

Real Madrid

Santiago Solari remains without Isco, who reports suggest is being given up as a lost cause. His back problems have not been given a timetable for recovery and he misses the matchday squad again while Marcos Llorente remains out injured with his abductor issue. Aside from that disturbance, Real Madrid are at full strength regarding injuries. Luka Modric is suspended, which means a chance for Dani Ceballos, and there might be more rotations on every line of the field including at right and left-back and at number nine with Benzema deserving a rest too. The big question is who plays on the wings. Vinicius has put in a steady and, at times, spectacular shift during this run of games and Lucas Vazquez has been solid too but Marco Asensio was sprung from the bench against Ajax on Wednesday and he won the game for them. He is slowly being considered while Bale could play on the left in order to rest Vinicius.Solari left out Brahim and Vallejo.

Girona

Girona will be relying on their little and large duo of Stuani and Portu up front to cause Real Madrid problems like they have in the past. Of the six goals Girona have scored against Real Madrid, Stuani has scored three and Portu got one. They should start in attack. Eusebio has lost his last nine games against Real Madrid and in eight of those games, his sides have conceded three or more goals. They are with the suspended Bernardo Espinosa while Seydou Doumbia, Marc Muniesa and Aday Benitez did not make the squad due to injury.