Mbappe Penalty Spares Madrid Blushes in
Girona Draw

Madrid, 1 Dec 2025 (ONA) — A
second-half Kylian Mbappe penalty salvaged a 1-1 draw for Real Madrid away to
Girona, but the result represents a missed opportunity as they failed to
capitalize on a chance to reclaim the summit of the Spanish La Liga.

The French superstar coolly converted
from the spot in the 67th minute, firing low past goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga
after Vinicius Jr. was brought down in the area by defender Hugo Rincon. The
goal was Mbappe’s 23rd in 19 appearances this season, continuing his prolific
form following a four-goal haul in midweek Champions League action.

Despite the late reprieve, Real Madrid were
left frustrated by a disciplined and defensively resilient Girona side, who sit
just above the relegation zone. The hosts took a deserved lead against the run
of play just before the interval, with Azzedine Ounahi finishing a swift
counter-attack by arcing a superb first-time strike into the top corner from
the edge of the box.

Real Madrid, who now trail leaders Barcelona
by a single point, produced a lethargic first-half display, registering only a
single shot on target. Their performance improved markedly after the break as
they adopted a more direct approach, but a lack of cutting edge in the final
third proved costly.

Real Madrid had two earlier goals
disallowed. Mbappe saw a close-range effort chalked off for a handball in the
buildup, while Vinicius was ruled offside before finishing another promising
move.

The draw extends a concerning run of
form for manager Xabi Alonso’s side, who have now secured only one victory in
their last five matches across all competitions. While Mbappe’s intervention
averted a costly defeat, the performance will raise questions as the title race
intensifies.

— Ends/Khalid