Real Madrid Drops Out of First Place After Another Stumble Away from Home

Real Madrid slipped again away from the Bernabéu. Xabi Alonso’s side drew 1–1 against Girona and surrendered the top spot to a Barcelona team that keeps winning. The match carried the same feeling as the setbacks at Vallecas and Elche — Vinicius and Mbappé were isolated for long stretches, and Madrid paid the price.

The team generated little between the lines, failed to break defensive blocks, and repeatedly crashed into a well-organized Girona. The draw leaves Madrid on 33 points and sitting second in a league that’s tightening at the top. Alonso saw familiar problems resurface. Madrid lost fluidity through midfield and struggled to connect Bellingham, Valverde, and Mbappé. Vinicius found no space to destabilize Girona’s back line, and Madrid fell into predictable attacking patterns.

Mbappé’s goal relieved the immediate pressure, but didn’t change the overall dynamic. Madrid again lacked depth, and two points slipped away — points that may prove crucial later in the season. With Barcelona ahead and Villarreal and Atlético pressing from behind, every stumble feels heavier. The team has now strung together uneven road performances, confirming a worrisome trend. The squad has talent — that’s not in doubt — but consistency has disappeared, and Madrid suffers every time it fails to impose tempo from the first touch. The sense of dependence on isolated individual actions is growing once more.

Madrid returns home without the lead — and with pressure building. The calendar only gets tougher, and Xabi Alonso needs answers quickly before these stumbles turn into habit.