February 23, (THEWILL) – Real Madrid returned to winning form in La Liga through a 2-0 victory against Girona at the Santiago Bernabeu, drawing level with Barcelona at the summit of Spanish football. The match outcome positions both clubs on identical points, though Madrid remain second based on head-to-head records.
Luka Modric delivered an exceptional opening goal in the 41st minute, striking a remarkable volley from outside the penalty area into the top corner. The Croatian midfielder’s contribution marked Madrid’s 11th goal from long range this season, equalling Bayern Munich’s record across Europe’s principal leagues.
The initial stages belonged to Girona, with Arnau Martinez testing Thibaut Courtois early in the proceedings. However, Madrid gradually established control, culminating in Modric’s breakthrough moment before the interval.
Kylian Mbappe continued his impressive season, providing the assist for Vinicius Junior’s 83rd-minute goal. The French forward has now contributed to 20 La Liga goals this term, joining Robert Lewandowski and Rapinha in this achievement. Mbappe’s statistics include 17 goals and three assists, while Lewandowski holds 20 goals with two assists, and Rapinha maintains 13 goals alongside seven assists.
The Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior had previously struck the crossbar in the 58th minute before finally converting through a precise combination with Mbappe. Their partnership proved decisive, with Vinicius finishing beneath Paulo Gazzaniga to complete the scoring.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
