Real Madrid will look to recover from a narrow loss to Athletic Bilbao when they resume their La Liga campaign against Girona at Estadi Montilivi on Saturday night.

Los Blancos suffered a 2-1 defeat to Athletic on Wednesday, leaving them second in the league standings, four points adrift of leaders Barcelona but with a game in hand. Girona, meanwhile, sit eighth in the table. Girona had an extraordinary 2023-24 season, finishing third in La Liga and securing a spot in the league phase of the 2024-25 Champions League. It was the best campaign in the club’s history. This season, however, has been less consistent. Michel’s team has recently rediscovered form, earning 10 points from their last four La Liga outings through three victories and a draw, propelling them into eighth position. Despite their recent league success, Girona are seven points off fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao, with a game in hand. However, their last three fixtures across all competitions have ended without a win, including two defeats. In the Champions League, Girona suffered a 1-0 loss to Sturm Graz in late November. That result dropped them to 30th place in the overall rankings, three points behind 24th-placed Real Madrid, who currently occupy the final playoff spot. Their Copa del Rey campaign also ended in disappointment on Wednesday, as they were eliminated on penalties by fourth-tier side UD Logroñés following a goalless draw.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s defeat to Athletic saw Gorka Guruzeta score the winner in the 80th minute. Kylian Mbappé missed a penalty for the second time this season and later issued an apology on social media for his role in the loss—Madrid’s second in La Liga so far. Despite the setback, Real Madrid remain firmly in the title race. They have 33 points from 15 matches, four fewer than Barcelona, who have played one more game. However, Los Blancos have been inconsistent lately, losing four of their last seven games in all competitions. Their upcoming schedule includes two critical away matches—against Girona in La Liga and Atalanta BC in the Champions League next week. Pressure is mounting on Carlo Ancelotti’s team to secure a win in Italy given their struggles in Europe this season. Madrid currently occupy a playoff spot in the Champions League standings, but their position is precarious. A failure to progress would represent one of the most shocking outcomes in the competition’s history. Against Girona, Real Madrid have won six, drawn one, and lost three of their 10 meetings across all competitions. They claimed a 3-0 victory in last season’s corresponding fixture.

Girona will be without Viktor Tsygankov, Yaser Asprilla, and Yangel Herrera for Saturday’s match. However, Gabriel Misehouy returned to action in their Copa del Rey defeat and could feature again. Michel is expected to make several changes to his starting XI from midweek, with Ivan Martin, Arnau Martinez, Donny van de Beek, and Bojan Miovski likely returning. Bryan Gil, on loan from Tottenham, should start in a wide role, while Arnaut Danjuma, who is still searching for his first goal for the club, is also set to feature. Real Madrid, on the other hand, remain without Vinícius Junior, Eduardo Camavinga, Éder Militão, Dani Carvajal, and David Alaba. However, no new injury concerns emerged from their game against Athletic. Ancelotti could make a couple of changes to his lineup, with Brahim Díaz and Ferland Mendy possibly replacing Dani Ceballos and Fran Garcia. Mbappé, Rodrygo, and Jude Bellingham are expected to continue in attack, while Raúl Asencio will again partner Antonio Rüdiger in central defense, benefiting from Militão’s long-term injury absence.

Real Madrid dominated Girona last season, scoring seven goals without reply across their two league meetings. While Girona will pose a significant challenge, Los Blancos should have enough to edge out a win, although a closely contested draw cannot be ruled out.

Best Tip: X2

Correct Score: 1-2