Real Madrid Held by Girona as Arbeloa Questions VAR Decision
Rabat – Real Madrid dropped more points on Friday night. A 1-1 draw with Girona extended their winless run to three matches and left them six points behind Barcelona in the title race.
Madrid felt they should have had a penalty in the closing minutes. Kylian Mbappe went down inside the box after contact with Vitor Reis, but the referee let the play continue and VAR did not intervene.
Alvaro Arbeloa did not hide his frustration after the match. “It’s a penalty here and on the moon,” he said. “It’s just another one, another week. That’s the way it is. Neither I nor anyone else understands it. I suppose it’s used when it suits and when it doesn’t, it isn’t.”
Madrid controls, but not enough
The first half brought chances but no goals. Madrid controlled the ball and pushed forward, but Girona held their shape.
The breakthrough came early in the second half. Federico Valverde found space outside the box and struck a powerful shot in the 51st minute. Paulo Gazzaniga got a hand to it but could not keep it out.
For a moment, it looked like Madrid would push on, but Girona responded quickly.
Just 11 minutes later, Thomas Lemar equalised. The midfielder, on loan from Atletico Madrid, hit a strong shot from the edge of the area into the bottom corner. The score returned to 1-1, and the game opened again.
Just 11 minutes later, Thomas Lemar equalised. The midfielder, on loan from Atletico Madrid, hit a strong shot from the edge of the area into the bottom corner. The score returned to 1-1, and the game opened again.
𝟗 𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐂̧𝐀 — 𝐈𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐎𝐋
— 433 (@433) April 10, 2026
Madrid kept pushing. They had more possession and created more chances. In total, they finished with 61 percent of the ball and 22 shots compared to Girona’s 10.
Still, they could not find a second goal.
A run that raises questions
The result adds pressure on Arbeloa. Since taking charge in January, he has won 19 games and lost six. This draw was his first since replacing Xabi Alonso.
But the recent run is different, Madrid have not won since March 22, when they beat Atletico in the derby. Since then, results have slipped. They lost 2-1 to Mallorca after the international break, a result Arbeloa took responsibility for.
“This defeat is mine, absolutely,” he said at the time. “I told the players that. I’m the one who makes the decisions.”
Then came another setback in Europe. Madrid lost 2-1 at the Bernabeu against Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. The return leg will take place in Germany.
Despite the gap to Barcelona, Arbeloa is not ready to give up.
“I’ll feel that way the day we lose it,” he said. “If that day comes, we’ll have no choice but to go out and defend this badge. This is Real Madrid, and we have no choice but to go out and fight.”
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