Zürcher Nachrichten - Real Madrid title hopes dented by Girona draw

Fede Valverde drilled Alvaro Arbeloa's side ahead early in the second half but Thomas Lemar's fine strike secured a point for the Catalan visitors at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The draw against Girona brought Madrid within six points of La Liga leaders Barcelona, but the Catalans host local rivals Espanyol on Saturday when they could move nine ahead with a victory.

Madrid head to Bavaria to face Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash on Wednesday, trailing 2-1, in the competition where their hopes of silverware this season now mainly lie.

After Jude Bellingham impressed as a substitute in the first leg against Bayern, Arbeloa gave him his first start since January.

Madrid had the better of the first half but needed goalkeeper Andriy Lunin to save well from Azzedine Ounahi early on.

At the other end Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga denied Mbappe and Valverde as Los Blancos began to knock on the door.

Bellingham tested Gazzaniga early in the second half with a drive from the edge of the box, shortly before his team took the lead.

Valverde lashed in a shot from the edge of the box which Gazzaniga tried to push out with his wrists but badly misjudged and the ball flew past him and into the net.

Madrid's top goalscorer Mbappe mis-hit a shot when well placed and Gazzaniga saved well at his near post to keep Vinicius at bay as Madrid tried to put the game to bed.

Instead Girona pulled level, with former Atletico midfielder Lemar planting a superb strike from the edge of the box beyond Lunin's helpless dive and into the bottom corner.

Arbeloa took off England international Bellingham shortly after the hour with the visit to Munich in mind.

Madrid's hopes of a trophy appear to hinge on that match against Vincent Kompany's side, with only seven La Liga matches remaining to try and overhaul Hansi Flick's Barca, the reigning champions.

Gazzaniga beat away Mbappe's shot and the French superstar appealed in vain for a penalty as he collided with Vitor Reis in the box.

Six minutes of stoppage time were added on but they were not enough for Arbeloa's underwhelming team to conjure a late winner.

W.O.Ludwig--NZN