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Real Madrid scored a goal on either side of half-time to secure a comfortable 2-0 win against Girona at the Santiago Bernabeu in LaLiga on Sunday, February 23.
The result sees them remain level on points with leaders Barcelona on 54, but trailing due to an inferior goal difference. The visitors, on the other hand, remain 12th in the table with 31 points.
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Real Madrid came out of the blocks in fourth gear as they looked to dominate and pin down Girona in their own half. With 71% possession in the first half, the hosts pulled their plan off with ease, leaving the visitors with little else to do but defend. However, despite 10 attempts, Los Blancos managed just two shots on target and had to wait until late in the first half to break the deadlock.
Luka Modric rolled back the years and scored a wonderful goal for Real Madrid to put them 1-0 up after 41 minutes. He brought the ball down with his chest before volleying it into the net. Girona tried their best to find a way back into the contest with their four first-half shots. However, just two of those were on target and with chances coming at a premium, the visitors missed a trick in the first half.
The hosts carried a comfortable one-goal advantage into half-time.
The second half saw both Real Madrid and Girona share the ball nearly equally throughout. However, the hosts still managed to get forward and create chances at will, while the visitors completely fell off and barely managed a sniff of Los Blancos' net in the first half. They failed to hit the target despite multiple attempts, leaving them no chance of mounting a comeback.
Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior stepped up to put the game well beyond Girona's reach in the 83rd minute. The Frenchman assisted his teammate as he scored with a smart finish to make it 2-0, putting Real Madrid in a commanding position with time quickly running out. The visitors threw the kitchen sink at the remaining time but could not score as they fell to a defeat.
On that note, let's take a look at Real Madrid's player ratings from this match.
Real Madrid Player Ratings
Thibaut Courtois - 7/10
He made two saves between the sticks for Real Madrid to earn a well-deserved clean sheet. He also played two accurate long balls.
Lucas Vazquez - 7.5/10
Vazquez played well in defence for Los Blancos as he won five duels, making four tackles and one interception as well.
Raul Asencio - 7/10
Asencio failed to win a single duel in defence but made three clearances and one blocked shot as well. He also passsed the ball with 96% accuracy.
David Alaba - 6/10
Alaba was visibly playing a cautious game as he avoided getting into duels or any 50-50 challenges with any Girona player. He made two clearances and passed the ball with 92% accuracy.
Ferland Mendy - 7/10
Mendy had a decent game for Los Blancos, wherein he won his only duel, passed the ball with 97% accuracy, and played one key pass as well.
Luka Modric - 9.5/10
Modric scored a wonderfully executed chest-and-volley in the first half to put Real Madrid in front in emphatic fashion. He also played six key passes, two accurate crosses and won five duels as well.
Aurelien Tchouameni - 7/10
The Frenchman put in a composed performance after being restored to his natural position in midfield, winning four of five duels and passing the ball with 95% accuracy.
Rodrygo - 7.5/10
Rodrygo passed the ball with 97% accuracy, including one key pass. He attempted five shots but four were off-target and one was blocked. He also won two duels.
Brahim Diaz - 7/10
Diaz started in midfield and had an impressive 95% passing accuracy during his 73 minutes on the pitch. He also won three duels and made one interception.
Vinicius Junior - 8.5/10
Although he got his goal late in the game, Vinicius was a handful for Girona. Prior to his goal, he attempted four off-target and one was blocked as well. He played two key passes and won three duels.
Kylian Mbappe - 8/10
Mbappe had poor luck in front of goal for Real Madrid in tonight's match, as he attempted six shots, with three on target. However, he was unable to score, but provided an assist for Vinicius to score from.
Substitutes
Dani Ceballos - 6.5/10
He replaced Diaz but could not make an impact.
Eduardo Camavinga - 7/10
He replaced Alaba and put in a strong performance during his cameo.
Antonio Rudiger & Endrick - N/A
The pair played less than 10 minutes apiece and did not warrant a rating.
