Three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Girona | La Liga MD 31 | OneFootball

Real Madrid are wounded after back-to-back defeats and will be looking to get back to winning ways once more when they take to the field on Friday.

Los Blancos have one game nestled between the two legs of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals against Bayern Munich, and it is Girona they face on Friday night at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Notably, Michel’s side held Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw when they met earlier this season and it was only a penalty by Kylian Mbappe that helped the team equalise Azzedine Ounahi’s opening strike.

This time around, they will look to take revenge although they must do so with great care so as to not damage any of their chances in the massive game next week.

Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Girona.

No room to slip up

Coming back from the international break, Real Madrid has lost two out of two games. While the recent one to Bayern Munich was understandable given the quality of the opponent, the result against Mallorca was a shocker.

Having dropped three points, Real Madrid took a massive blow to their hopes in the league title race, one where they already trailed Barcelona by four points.

With the Catalans beating Atletico Madrid in La Liga, they now have a seven-point lead over Real Madrid, and with just eight games to go, have one hand on the trophy already.

At this point, Los Blancos are hanging in the title race by a thread and any further slip-up will see them definitively out of the running. The game against Girona, thus, is critical.

While Real Madrid would have loved to have some breathing space ahead of the second leg against Bayern Munich, they simply cannot afford any further slip-ups in La Liga, and balancing both objectives becomes a difficult task.

Rotations are a must

Arbeloa could make some rotations. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

As important as it is for Real Madrid to take the win on Friday night, there is barely any doubt that they will see the UCL game against Bayern Munich as their primary priority.

Alvaro Arbeloa, thus, will undoubtedly look to hand his starters some rest on the night, and the only question is around the extent to which he will rotate.

Given how it is important to secure a result against Girona as well, it becomes critical that the manager does not go overboard with his rotations and strikes the right balance. After all, Girona already took two points off Real Madrid earlier this season.

For starters, the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger and possibly even Alvaro Carreras can start on the bench given the availability of quality alternative options. All three, after all, have good chances of starting midweek.

In midfield, the likes of Federico Valverde and Arda Guler could benefit from some rest and Aurelien Tchouameni can be handed a bigger role. After all, the Frenchman is suspended for the reverse fixture against Bayern Munich.

Whether or not the coach sees Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. as starters against Girona remains another massive decision, one that can potentially change the direction the result flows.

Two stars to make a case

Two big names who did not start Real Madrid’s game against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu were Jude Bellingham and Eder Militao – both of whom were coming back from injuries.

The decision to start Militao on the bench was taken keeping in mind his fragile fitness in recent times and the need to avoid a relapse. After he came on, however, the team’s defensive performance immediately improved on the night.

Bellingham, on the other hand, was benched in favour of Thiago Pitarch despite reportedly having been completely fit and ready for the game. The manager’s decision infuriated him, and he will be pumped to show why he deserves to be an undisputed starter.

Arbeloa has already confirmed that Bellingham and Militao will be starting against Girona and both will be looking for statement performances to deliver.

With the reverse fixture against Bayern Munich just days away, their performance on Friday may directly impact their participation and starting berth at the Allianz Arena. The special night it may well be, both will not wish to miss out on a place in the XI.