With 14 games remaining, the LALIGA title race may already be decided. On Saturday night, Real Madrid defeated Girona, their nearest opponents, in the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
The host team defeated the second-ranked team in the competition 4-0, marking the most home victory by a league leader against that opponent since Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 5-0 in 1945.
This season, Girona has been LALIGA’s surprise package. They entered this match just two points behind Real Madrid and had only lost once, to their rivals at Estadi Montilivi in a 3-0 loss in September.
The visitors had the odds stacked against them for their latest encounter, with coach Míchel given a touchline ban after being sent off for his protests against a refereeing decision against Real Sociedad last weekend. In addition, influential midfielder Yangel Herrera and experienced defender Daley Blind were both absent through suspensions of their own after collecting five yellow cards.
That wasn’t to say that Carlo Ancelotti didn’t face his own headaches in the Real Madrid camp. Antonio Rüdiger was forced out through injury meaning that the Italian had no fit central defenders for this game.
In the end, Girona was unable to muster a single shot on goal at the Bernabéu, leaving Real Madrid with little defensive worries. Rather, Vinícius Júnior scored the first goal after just six minutes with a beautiful curling shot from the edge of the area.
After the treasure chest was unlocked, Real Madrid discovered their opening and Jude Bellingham took advantage of it, scoring two more goals to give the league leaders a commanding lead over their nearest competitors.
Rodrygo Goes displayed his exceptional skills once again when he effortlessly maneuvered through the Girona defense and elegantly placed the ball beyond Paulo Gazzaniga, securing the fourth goal. Unfortunately, Joselu failed to convert a penalty kick in the closing moments, hitting the post and missing the opportunity to extend the lead to five.
How does this outcome impact the competition for the LALIGA championship?
From a mathematical perspective, Girona remains actively involved in the race. This loss is only their second this season, and they have only tied in five out of 24 matches. Consequently, they are closely matching Real Madrid’s progress and are currently trailing Los Blancos by a mere five points.
“A victory will only provide an edge, but the ultimate outcome of the title will be determined later,” Ancelotti emphasized during his pre-match media briefing on Friday. Despite this statement, even the Italian manager must currently be harboring a sense of cautious optimism.
The difference in points between the two teams has increased to five, and Real Madrid has also established a significant lead in the direct comparison. By winning both home and away matches, Real Madrid outscored Girona 7-0, which adds an additional point to their overall standing.
Real Madrid still has many months remaining in the season, and they have their own problems to deal with due to a defensive injury crisis. Despite this, it would be highly unlikely for Real Madrid to give up their lead unless they experience a significant downfall. Since their defeat to Atlético Madrid in September, they have not been defeated in LALIGA. They have now equaled Girona in terms of goals scored, currently reaching a total of 52. Furthermore, their defensive record is superior to the closest competitor in the competition, having conceded six goals less.