Who: Real Madrid vs Girona
What: Spanish football’s La Liga
Where: Bernabeu Stadium, Madrid, Spain
When: Friday, April 10, at 9pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.
Real Madrid hosts Girona after losing back-to-back games, falling 2-1 at Mallorca in the last La Liga round before its UEFA Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
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The record Spanish league winners are hoping to make up ground on defending champions, Barcelona, who host struggling cross-city rivals Espanyol on Saturday.
With the return match against Bayern being played in Germany on Wednesday, Los Blancos face a season-defining five days.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the first of two must-win football games for Real.
How far behind Barcelona are Real Madrid in La Liga?
The title looks like it’s Barcelona’s to lose with eight games now left.
Hansi Flick’s Catalan side holds a seven-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid.
Anything other than a win for Real will surely leave the title challenge in tatters.
“We know that each game is important,” Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said Thursday. “We have a smaller margin of error now.”
How have Real Madrid fared in La Liga this season?
Real have won 22 of their 30 matches in La Liga, losing five. Barcelona have lost four, but have managed three more wins.
The season started promisingly for new head coach Xabi Alonso, with 13 wins in the first 14 games of the season.
The run of two wins in eight that followed jeopardised the former Real midfielder’s position. Despite a run of five wins thereafter, the Super Copa defeat by rivals Barca led to Alonso’s departure.
Real Madrid’s interim head coach, Arbeloa, was shocked in his first game in charge with a 3-2 defeat at second-tier Albacete in the Copa del Rey, but a run of 13 wins in 16 followed.
The back-to-back defeats in the last two games, however, threaten to derail that run.
How have Girona fared in La Liga this season?
Girona spent most of the first half of the season in the relegation zone, but has improved in 2026.
It is in 12th place after losing just three of its last 13 games, a run that included a 2-1 victory over Barcelona in February.
Last up for Real Madrid
Harry Kane delivered for Bayern Munich on his return from injury, scoring a goal and helping set up another in his team’s 2-1 win at Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Kylian Mbappe scored Madrid’s goal after the visitors had taken a two-goal lead at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer came up big for Bayern with several key saves to keep the German champions with the first-leg edge.
The return leg will be played in Germany on Wednesday.
Last up for Girona
Girona beat third-placed Villarreal 1-0 in La Liga on Monday.
With fourth-placed Atletico Madrid losing at home to Barcelona last weekend, a win for Villarreal would have taken it four points clear of Diego Simeone’s Atletico.
However, Arnau Martinez’s cross hit Pau Navarro and deflected past his own goalkeeper in first-half stoppage time.
It was the only shot on target for either side during a dour opening 45 minutes, and neither side was much better in a poor second half.
Girona’s climb two places into 12th leaves them one point behind Osasuna, Espanyol and Athletic Bilbao.
What happened the last time Real Madrid played Girona?
The teams shared a 1-1 draw in their first La Liga meeting of the season in November.
Azzedine Ounahi gave the home side the lead on the stroke of half-time, before Kylian Mbappe’s 67th-minute penalty meant the points were shared.
What happened in the corresponding fixture last season?
Real stormed to a 3-0 win in last season’s corresponding La Liga fixture, which was played in December 2024.
Jude Bellingham gave Los Blancos a first-half lead, while Arda Guler and Mbappe sealed the win in the second period.
When did Girona last beat Real Madrid?
Girona’s last win against Real came three seasons ago via a 4-2 home victory in La Liga in April 2023.
Valentin Castellanos scored all four goals for Girona, who stormed into a two-goal lead only for Vinicius Junior to pull one back before the break.
Castellanos, who was on loan from New York City at the time and now played for Premier League side West Ham, netted a further two in the second period to reassert his side’s advantage before Lucas Vazquez scored a late consolation for Los Blancos
Head-to-head
This will be the 14th meeting between the sides, with Real Madrid winning eight of the encounters and Girona winning three.
Real Madrid team news
Real coach Alvaro Arbeloa said Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga will both start for Madrid against Girona. Bellingham is working his way back into top form after an injury, while Camavinga is being linked with a move to the Premier League.
Real will be without the services of Rodrygo, Thibaut Courtois and Franco Mastantuono, but may be able to call on Ferland Mendy, following a hamstring injury, if the defender passes a late fitness test.
Real Madrid predicted starting lineup
Monday; Carvajal, Militao, Huijsen, F Garcia; Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Guler; Vinicius, Mbappe
Girona team news
Girona are battling a string of injuries ahead of the trip to Madrid. Portu, Donny van de Beek, Juan Carlos, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Ricard Artero are all definite absentees, while Vladyslav Vanat and Daley Blind are both also injury doubts.
Girona predicted starting lineup
Gazzaniga; Martinez, Reis, Blind, Moreno; Beltran, Witsel; Tsygankov, Martin, Ounahi; Ruiz
