October 30, (THEWILL) – Real Madrid overtook Barcelona at the top of the table but lost La Liga points for just the second time this season, as Toni Kroos was dismissed in a 1-1 draw against struggling Girona.
The goal was deadlocked for most of the regulation time with no goals to excite fans of both clubs, but with just over 20 minutes left, Los Blancos took the lead at the Santiago Bernabeu through Vinicius Junior’s ninth goal of the year.
But that was not enough to seal the victory, as Cristhian Stuani, scored from the penalty spot in the 80th minute after Marco Asensio, was penalised for a handball in the area, after a VAR review.
Los Blancos had to settle with a result that moved Girona out of the relegation zone while moving them a point above Barcelona at the top of the table after, Rodrygo’s late goal was disallowed and Kroos was sent off for a second bookable offence.
On Wednesday, the UEFA Champions League match between Madrid and Celtic will be the next engagement for Los Blancos, to be followed by a Monday night La Liga trip to Rayo Vallecano. Meanwhile, on Friday night, Girona will host Athletic Bilbao in their region of Catalonia.
About the Author
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.