Girona's Title Hopes Dented by Alaves' Late Equalizer

Girona’s Title Hopes Dented by Alaves’ Late Equalizer

Girona’s aspirations of securing the second spot behind La Liga champions Real Madrid suffered a setback on Friday as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Alaves. The match witnessed a dramatic late equalizer from Alaves’ Jon Guridi in the ninth minute of added time.

The match at the Mendizorroza stadium in Vitoria began with a quick start for Girona, with Eric Garcia scoring in just the fourth minute. However, Alaves responded swiftly, with Guridi equalizing eight minutes later. Artem Dovbyk, the league’s leading goalscorer with 20 goals, assisted Yangel Herrera for what seemed to be the winning goal just before halftime.

As the game entered its final stages, Alaves refused to give up. In the dying moments of added time, Guridi struck again, securing a share of the spoils for the home team. The result leaves Girona with 75 points, 12 behind Real Madrid and just two points ahead of Barcelona.

Barcelona, who have a game in hand, can move into second place if they defeat Real Sociedad on Monday. Meanwhile, Real Madrid, fresh from their Champions League triumph over Bayern Munich, will face relegation-threatened Granada on Saturday.

Granada, currently second from bottom, could face relegation before the match against Real Madrid if Real Mallorca, who are 17th, defeat Las Palmas earlier in the day.

Real Madrid on Cusp of La Liga Title, Girona Holds the Key

Real Madrid on Cusp of La Liga Title, Girona Holds the Key

Real Madrid, the current leaders of La Liga, have a chance to secure their 36th Spanish title this weekend. However, they need a helping hand from Girona, this season’s surprise challengers.

Madrid will host Cadiz on Saturday, and if they win, they will need Girona to take points off Barcelona, the defending champions, in the following match. If both conditions are met, Los Blancos will extend their record-breaking title count.

Girona, in their fourth season in La Liga, have been a revelation this season. They were Madrid’s main rivals for the top spot for much of the campaign, but their momentum stalled after a 4-0 defeat to Ancelotti’s side in February.

Despite the setback, Girona have regrouped and are now on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in their history. A victory over Barcelona in the Catalan derby would not only secure their place in the top four but also make club history.

Even though the title could be within their grasp this weekend, Madrid’s focus is divided as they prepare for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich. Los Blancos earned a creditable 2-2 draw in Munich and will host the German giants on Wednesday.

Ancelotti is likely to rotate his squad, as he did in their narrow win over Real Sociedad last week. The likes of Luka Modric, Joselu, Nacho, and Lucas Vazquez have proven to be reliable options when called upon.

Aurelien Tchouameni is set to miss the game with a knock, while Thibaut Courtois could make his first appearance of the season. Ancelotti has indicated that the Belgian goalkeeper is ready to return after two knee injuries kept him sidelined since pre-season.

Jude Bellingham, Madrid’s top scorer, may also be rested as he has struggled with various physical issues in the second half of the season. “He hasn’t been at his best, but he’ll be back very soon and by Wednesday he’ll be at 100 percent,” said Ancelotti.

Cadiz travel to the Bernabeu with slim hopes of survival. The Andalucians are 18th, five points from safety behind Celta Vigo. “The situation is very tricky and I understand the tension… but there are five games to go,” said Cadiz goalkeeper Jeremias Ledesma.

Girona Soar to Second, Atletico Stumble at Cadiz

Girona Soar to Second, Atletico Stumble at Cadiz

Girona’s resurgence continued on Saturday as they secured a 2-0 victory over Osasuna, propelling them back into second place in La Liga. The triumph came at the expense of Atletico Madrid, who suffered a surprising 2-0 defeat at Cadiz, further denting their hopes of a top-three finish.

Girona’s dominance was evident from the outset, and they were rewarded with a goal from Cristian Portu just 13 minutes into the match. Viktor Tsygankov’s incisive pass found Portu in the box, and the Spaniard’s clinical finish gave Girona the early advantage.

Despite Girona’s dominance, Osasuna remained a threat, and Tsygankov nearly provided a second assist for Artem Dovbyk, but the Ukrainian forward failed to convert. Daley Blind also came close to doubling Girona’s lead, but his effort was blocked by the Osasuna defense.

Girona’s persistence paid off in the 85th minute when Savinho found the net. However, the goal was initially ruled out for a foul, but the Brazilian’s disappointment was short-lived as he struck again two minutes later. Miguel Gutierrez’s pass found Aleix Garcia, whose backheel set up Savinho for a left-footed finish that sealed the victory.

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid’s struggles continued with a disappointing defeat at Cadiz. Juanmi’s brace either side of half-time condemned Diego Simeone’s men to their seventh defeat of the season.

The first half was marred by fouls, and Cadiz took the lead through Juanmi’s unmarked header midway through the period. Simeone made changes at half-time, but Juanmi struck again just after the hour mark, securing the victory for the Andalusian side.

The result leaves Atletico four points behind Girona in third, while Cadiz moved closer to safety, provisionally moving within two points of 17th place.

In other La Liga action, Real Sociedad came from behind to win 3-2 at Granada, while Valencia climbed to eighth with a 1-0 victory over Getafe.

Girona and Barcelona Stumble, Atletico Tightens Grip on Top Four

Girona and Barcelona Stumble, Atletico Tightens Grip on Top Four

In a weekend of missed opportunities, both Girona and Barcelona failed to capitalize on Real Madrid’s draw against Valencia, surrendering points in their respective matches.

Girona, who had a chance to regain ground on the league leaders, succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at Mallorca. The hosts took the lead in the 33rd minute through Jose-Manuel Copete, and Girona’s struggles continued as they failed to score for the third time in five games.

Barcelona, aiming to move into second place, were held to a goalless draw by Bilbao. The match lacked intensity, and Barcelona suffered potential injuries to Frenkie de Jong and Pedri.

Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, tightened their grip on fourth place with a 2-1 victory over Betis. Memphis Depay’s cross deflected into the Betis net for an early lead, and Alvaro Morata added a second before halftime. Betis pulled one back through William Carvalho, but Atletico held on for the win.

In other matches, Villarreal crushed Granada 5-1, with Alexander Sorloth scoring a hat-trick.

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