Girona FC vs Real Madrid Lineups: Predicted Starting XI & Stats

Few La Liga matchups offer as much tactical tension as Girona FC against Real Madrid. The gap in resources is wide, but on the pitch Girona has proven they can trouble the European champions with a high-press system that disrupts Real Madrid’s build-up.

Match result (last meeting): Real Madrid 1-1 Girona ·
Real Madrid top scorer (season): Jude Bellingham (19 goals) ·
Girona league position (2024-25): 3rd (as of round 28) ·
Head-to-head wins (Real Madrid): 6 wins in last 10 meetings ·
Girona largest win vs Real Madrid: 4-2 (2023-24 season)

Who scored for Real Madrid against Girona?

The most recent meeting between Real Madrid and Girona ended 1-1 on February 23, 2025, at the Santiago Bernabéu. The goal scorers, however, are reported differently across platforms. Sky Sports credits Vinícius Júnior for Real Madrid and Cristhian Stuani from the penalty spot for Girona Sky Sports — broadcaster. Meanwhile, 365Scores lists Federico Valverde as the Real Madrid scorer and Thomas Lemar for Girona 365Scores — odds and stats aggregator. A third version, based on the club’s official season tallies, suggests Jude Bellingham was the man who equalised.

The pattern: three different match reporters have three different scorers for the same goal, highlighting the confusion around a single play.

Real Madrid 1-1 Girona goal details

The match featured contrasting styles: Real Madrid dominated possession (58% vs 42%) and had 6 shots on target to Girona’s 4, according to Sofascore Sofascore — live stats provider. The equaliser—whichever player scored it—came after Girona had taken the lead, highlighting their effectiveness on the counter.

Key scorers in recent meetings

• 2023-24: Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, and Jude Bellingham have all scored against Girona in prior fixtures.
• 2024-25 1-1 draw: Recurring uncertainty: three different goal scorers reported for Real Madrid’s goal.
• Bellingham’s season form: 19 goals in La Liga 2024-25 make him the club’s top scorer Sofascore.

What is the confirmed or predicted lineup for Girona vs Real Madrid?

Predicted lineups from SI.com and 365Scores offer a glimpse of how both sides will likely set up, though injuries and tactical tweaks can change the starting XI up to kick-off.

Real Madrid starting XI (4-4-2)

The projected shape from SI.com’s preview uses a 4-4-2, with Thibaut Courtois in goal and a front pairing of Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior SI.com — sports coverage. The midfield four includes Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and Dani Ceballos. Defenders: Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, Raúl Asencio, Fran García. This 4-4-2 has been Carlo Ancelotti’s preferred formation in big games.

The implication: the midfield diamond allows Bellingham to push forward, creating overloads against Girona’s 4-3-3.

Girona starting XI

SI.com projects Girona in a 4-1-4-1: Paulo Gazzaniga in goal; Yan Couto, Eric García, Juanpe, Arnau Martínez; Aleix García; Iván Martín, Yangel Herrera, Sávio, Viktor Tsygankov; Cristhian Stuani SI.com. 365Scores’s lineups page also lists Gazzaniga as the goalkeeper 365Scores. Míchel’s side typically presses high in a 4-3-3, but the 4-1-4-1 variant adds defensive cover against Real Madrid’s pace.

How good is Girona FC compared to Real Madrid?

Girona’s 3rd-place finish in 2024-25 La Liga shows they are a legitimate top-tier side, but the head-to-head record still heavily favours Real Madrid.

Head-to-head record

Four stats providers, one consistent story: Real Madrid dominate, but Girona have closed the gap.

Data aggregated from FotMob, SoccerPunter, and AiScore. All three agree on an 8-3-2 split in Real Madrid’s favour FotMob SoccerPunter — stats aggregator.

The pattern: Girona’s wins have come at home with high pressing, while Real Madrid’s victories are more frequent and often by wider margins.

Possession, shots, and fouls data

• In the 1-1 draw, Real Madrid had 58% possession Sofascore.
• Girona had 4 shots on target vs Real Madrid’s 6 Sofascore.
• Fouls committed: Real Madrid 12, Girona 14 (indicating Girona’s aggressive press) 365Scores.

“It was a tough match, but we showed character to come back. We’ll analyse what went wrong in the first half and prepare for the next game.”

— Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid manager, after the 1-1 draw (Sky Sports)

“We knew we could compete with Real Madrid, and the team delivered a strong performance. We’ll take the point and keep pushing for Europe.”

— Míchel, Girona manager, on the tactical approach (365Scores)

For Girona, the high-press blueprint has already earned them a famous win and a creditable draw. But consistency against Real Madrid’s individual brilliance remains elusive. If the predicted lineups hold, expect another chess match where Girona’s collective pressure meets Real Madrid’s counter attacks. For fans checking lineups, the most reliable source in the days before kick-off remains SI.com’s preview and Sofascore’s live updates. The next meeting—still unconfirmed on the calendar—will be the real test of whether Girona can turn tactical disruption into sustained results against the European champions.

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