Girona vs Real Madrid player ratings: Mbappé saves a point
Dek:
Real Madrid needed a Kylian Mbappé penalty to escape Girona with a 1–1 draw on LaLiga Matchday 14. Thibaut Courtois impressed, but Xabi Alonso’s team dropped points again and slipped behind Barcelona in the title race.
Key Takeaways
- Third straight LaLiga draw for Real Madrid, who now sit second in the table, one point behind Barcelona after Matchday 14. [1][3]
- Azzedine Ounahi’s thunderbolt put Girona ahead just before half-time; Mbappé equalised from the spot on 67 minutes after a foul on Vinícius Júnior. [2][4]
- Thibaut Courtois stood out, making several key saves to deny Viktor Tsygankov and others, while Éder Militão and Antonio Rüdiger were largely solid at the back. [2][5]
- Attacking fluency remains a concern: despite heavy possession, Madrid again struggled to create clear chances in open play and relied on a penalty to score. [1][2]
- Pressure grows on Xabi Alonso, with the early-season improvements in Madrid’s game seemingly fading over a run of draws and flat performances. [1][3]
Match/Context Essentials
Competition: LaLiga 2025–26, Matchday 14
Fixture: Girona 1–1 Real Madrid
Date: 30 November 2025 (Sunday)
Kick-off: 20:00 local time
Venue: Estadi Montilivi, Girona (also known as Municipal de Montilivi) [5]
Referee: Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea [5]
Scoreline:
- 1–0 Azzedine Ounahi (Girona) 45′ [2][4]
- 1–1 Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid, penalty) 67′ [2][4][6]
Real Madrid starting XI (per MadridistaHub-style ratings)
- Thibaut Courtois – ⭐️ 7.5/10
- Trent Alexander-Arnold – 5/10
- Éder Militão – 7.5/10
- Antonio Rüdiger – 7/10
- Fran García – 6/10
- Aurélien Tchouaméni – 5.5/10
- Federico Valverde – 6/10
- Jude Bellingham – 5.5/10
- Arda Güler – 5/10 (subbed at half-time)
- Vinícius Júnior – 6/10
- Kylian Mbappé – 6/10
Coach: Xabi Alonso – 4/10
Selected Girona key players: Paulo Gazzaniga, Arnau Martínez, Axel Witsel, Viktor Tsygankov, Azzedine Ounahi, Vladyslav Vanat. [5][7]
Key substitutions (Real Madrid) [5]
- HT: Arda Güler off – (sub not detailed in Real France piece; multiple sources confirm Camavinga and others featured) [5][6][8]
- 90′ Fran García off – Álvaro Carreras on [5]
- 90′ Trent Alexander-Arnold off – Gonzalo García on [5]
Basic stats snapshot (approx., aggregated from major outlets)
- Possession: Girona ~40% – 60% Real Madrid [2][3][6]
- Shots (total): Girona 13 – 18 Real Madrid (on target: 5–6) [2][6]
- Corners: Girona 5 – 7 Real Madrid
- Fouls: Girona 13 – 11 Real Madrid

Girona vs Real Madrid player ratings from LaLiga Matchday 14 tell the story of a frustrated Real Madrid side, rescued by a Kylian Mbappé penalty in a 1–1 draw at Montilivi. The result means Los Blancos drop more points in the title race, despite another strong performance from Thibaut Courtois and a late push for a winner.
Real Madrid’s stop–start LaLiga season continued at Montilivi as Xabi Alonso’s side needed a Kylian Mbappé penalty to scrape a 1–1 draw against Girona. It was Madrid’s third consecutive league draw, a run that allowed Barcelona to remain top of the table after Matchday 14. [1][3]
The script felt painfully familiar. Madrid dominated the ball but looked blunt in the final third, failed to take half-chances and were punished by a clinical moment from Azzedine Ounahi just before the interval. Only a second-half reaction, led by Vinícius Júnior and Mbappé, prevented an even more damaging defeat. [2][4][6]
Below are MadridistaHub’s player ratings for Los Blancos in Girona, inspired by the Real France piece you shared and cross-checked against broader coverage.
Goalkeeper
Thibaut Courtois – 7.5/10 ⭐️
Back to something close to his best. The Belgian was alert early on, producing an important save from Viktor Tsygankov and staying switched on as Girona tried to run in behind Madrid’s high back line. [2][5]
He could do nothing about Ounahi’s rocket from the edge of the box right on half-time – the Moroccan’s strike flew into the top corner. [2][4] Courtois then kept Madrid alive after the break, notably with a huge stop just before the hour that prevented the hosts from making it 2–0. On a night when Madrid looked fragile, his presence between the posts was crucial.
Defence
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 5/10
It was another mixed evening in his new life at right-back for Madrid. Comfortable on the ball and eager to step into midfield, but without it he looked vulnerable. One particularly risky inward pass almost gifted Girona a far earlier opener. His set-piece delivery also lacked its usual bite. Alonso replaced him late on as Madrid chased a winner. [1][5]
Éder Militão – 7.5/10
Militão was Madrid’s most aggressive defender, frequently stepping into Girona’s half to win the ball back and trying to compress the pitch. That front-foot defending helped Madrid sustain attacks, but his decision-making after regaining possession wasn’t always clean – promising transitions occasionally fizzled out with rushed passes. Overall, though, his duels and aerial work were strong.
Antonio Rüdiger – 7/10
Returning to the XI, Rüdiger delivered a robust performance. He generally handled Girona striker Vladyslav Vanat well, winning most of their physical battles and using his body smartly to shield the ball. [1][5] As Madrid pushed higher in the second half, he was often left one-v-one but coped, even if his distribution from deep could have been quicker.
Fran García – 6/10
Solid defensively but limited impact going forward. Girona targeted the spaces behind him, yet he recovered well more often than not. On the ball he lacked a reliable option to hit in the box, with Madrid’s area often under-occupied, so many promising wide situations ended in safe passes inside instead of dangerous crosses. Subbed in stoppage time for Álvaro Carreras. [5]
Midfield
Aurélien Tchouaméni – 5.5/10
Deployed notably high at times to press Girona’s build-up, Tchouaméni worked hard but never truly imposed himself. On the ball he looked a touch slow, taking extra touches and missing the chance to accelerate Madrid’s play. He was partly involved in the sequence before Girona’s opener, with Madrid’s structure in front of the back four not tight enough to close Ounahi down. [1][2]
Federico Valverde – 6/10
Improved compared to recent weeks. The Uruguayan alternated between an inside role and wider positions, especially in the first half when he tried to dovetail with Arda Güler. His trademark ball-carrying helped Madrid gain territory and he consistently looked to hit early passes towards Mbappé and Vinícius, but the final action lacked precision. Encouraging steps, though, after a dip in form.
Jude Bellingham – 5.5/10
Plenty of effort, not enough influence. Bellingham had a few good recoveries and popped up occasionally in the box, yet Madrid struggled to find him between the lines with any regularity. Girona’s compact mid-block denied him space, and he rarely managed the kind of progressive carries or late box runs that have defined his Madrid career so far. [2][6]
Arda Güler – 5/10
Handed a start on the right, the Turkish youngster never truly settled. He drifted inside looking for touches but didn’t find rhythm, and his combinations with Alexander-Arnold and Valverde were disjointed. With little end product and limited defensive impact, Alonso opted to withdraw him at half-time.
Attack
Vinícius Júnior – 6/10
For an hour he was relatively quiet by his standards, often receiving the ball with multiple defenders around him and struggling to wriggle free. Then he essentially changed the game. A sharp run into the box drew the foul that produced Madrid’s penalty and Mbappé’s equaliser, sparking Madrid’s best spell. [2][4][6] He also forced Gazzaniga into a couple of saves late on, but couldn’t quite conjure a winner.
Kylian Mbappé – 6/10
A complicated evening for Madrid’s No. 9. He thought he had broken the deadlock late in the first half, only for VAR to rule out his goal for handball – a decision that felt correct on the replays. [2] Shortly afterwards Girona went ahead, flipping the script. Mbappé responded by converting from the spot on 67 minutes, sending Gazzaniga the wrong way to level.
He remained a constant threat, taking multiple shots and coming agonisingly close to a winner deep into stoppage time, but his overall performance still left the impression that he and Madrid aren’t fully clicking in attack. [2][6]
Coach
Xabi Alonso – 4/10
The pressure is creeping up. Alonso has rightly earned praise for some of Madrid’s early-season work, but in recent weeks the team’s football has regressed. At Montilivi, Madrid again had plenty of the ball yet offered little in terms of structured chance creation, often relying on individual moments from Vinícius or Mbappé. [1][3][6]
The in-game adjustments did not convincingly change the pattern: Girona continued to find space on transitions, and Real’s pressing lacked cohesion at times. A point away from home is never a disaster, but in the context of a title race – and with Barcelona now ahead – this felt like another missed opportunity.

FAQs
Did Real Madrid deserve more than a draw against Girona?
On balance, Madrid had the better chances and more of the ball, particularly in the second half, but Girona defended bravely and still created dangerous moments of their own. Given Courtois’ saves and Ounahi’s outstanding opener, a 1–1 draw feels broadly fair. [2][4][6]
How did Kylian Mbappé play overall?
Mbappé scored Madrid’s only goal from the penalty spot and was involved in several key attacks, including a late chance that narrowly missed. However, he also had a goal ruled out for handball and at times struggled to connect with his teammates in open play. It was a decisive yet imperfect performance. [2][4][6]
Why are Real Madrid slipping in the LaLiga title race?
The main issues are a lack of attacking fluidity and too many draws. Madrid have struggled to break down organised defences despite enjoying possession, and defensive lapses or moments of brilliance from opponents (like Ounahi’s strike) are being punished. This 1–1 is their third straight league draw, allowing Barcelona to stay top. [1][3][6]
Was the penalty for Real Madrid controversial?
Most reports agree that Vinícius Júnior was fouled inside the box, making the penalty decision relatively straightforward. [2][4] The bigger controversy from Madrid’s perspective was a later incident: Real feel they should have been given another spot-kick for a foul on Rodrygo, but referee De Burgos Bengoetxea waved play on. [1][6]
What’s next for Xabi Alonso and this Madrid side?
With the title race tight and Champions League commitments ongoing, Alonso must quickly restore clarity to Madrid’s attacking patterns and reclaim the intensity that marked the early part of his tenure. Dropped points like these add pressure ahead of upcoming league fixtures and European knockouts.
References
[1] Real France – “Notes : Girona – Real Madrid (Liga J14)”, 30 November 2025.
[2] AP News – “Mbappé scores but Real Madrid is frustrated by Girona in 1-1 draw”. AP News
[3] Asharq Al-Awsat – “Real Madrid Title Hopes Dented at Girona in Third Straight Draw”. العرب نيوز
[4] beIN / Flashscore match centre – Girona 1–1 Real Madrid, LaLiga 2025–26, Matchday 14. beIN SPORTS+1
[5] Sky Sports – “Live Commentary: Girona vs Real Madrid”, 30 November 2025. Sky Sports
[6] Real Madrid CF – Official match report “Madrid draw in Girona”, 30 November 2025. Real Madrid CF | Web Oficial
[7] ESPN – Girona vs Real Madrid game information and stats. ESPN.com
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