Madrid title hopes dented at Girona, as Los Blancos tie three on the bounce

Real Madrid was held to a third consecutive La Liga draw in a 1-1 tie at Girona on Sunday, allowing Barcelona to retain pole position.

Azzedine Ounahi fired the host into a surprise lead before halftime, with Kylian Mbappe earning Madrid a point from the penalty spot.

After Barcelona beat Alaves on Saturday to move top of the table, Madrid needed a victory at Girona to reclaim the top spot, but now sits second, a point behind the champion.

Earlier Alberto Moleiro helped Villarreal, third, move back ahead of fourth-place Atletico Madrid with a stoppage time winner in a 3-2 victory at Real Sociedad.

Real Madrid's draw increases the pressure on Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, after recent rumors have suggested his future in the Madrid dugout is uncertain.

"We are up there, it's all very even, it's a long season and we have to continue," Alonso told reporters.

"I liked the reaction from the players. It was not enough to turn it around, but we were close, and we have to continue with the unity we have, being self-critical enough, and wanting to win away from home."

Madrid travels to face Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday for a fourth consecutive league match on the road, a game moved because of the club's participation in the Spanish Super Cup in January.

"The table will be hard-fought, there will be lots of movement," added Alonso.

Mbappe and Arda Guler fired off target for Madrid early on in a hotly-contested, but scrappy clash in front of a raucous home crowd.

French superstar Mbappe had a goal ruled out for handball moments before Morocco international Ounahi fired Girona ahead, rifling home from just inside the area to stun its illustrious visitor.

Catalan minnow Girona, 18th, had twice beaten Real Madrid at Montilivi since making its top flight debut in 2017, and, for a while, it looked like it was going to manage the feat again.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a stunning save to tip away Vladyslav Vanat's drive across goal before Los Blancos fought back.

After having a goal disallowed for offside, Vinicius Junior was clumsily felled in the box by Hugo Rincon.

Mbappe smashed the resulting penalty into the bottom left corner past Paulo Gazzaniga's dive for his 14th La Liga goal of the campaign.

"Absolutely not the result we wanted tonight, but the league is still on and very long," wrote Mbappe on Instagram afterward.

"We need to change this dynamic and show who we are as a team."

Keeping the pressure on

Villarreal playmaker Moleiro netted twice in the second half of a thrilling game in San Sebastian, as his side secured a fifth consecutive league win to stay firmly in the title fight.

Ayoze Perez sent the visitor ahead midway through the first half and teed up Moleiro for Villarreal's second soon after the break.

Real Sociedad fought back strongly, with Carlos Soler netting on the hour mark.

The Basque side ramped up the pressure and leveled in the final stages through a spectacular Ander Barrenetxea freekick.

However, Moleiro had the final say, firing home in the 95th minute to maintain his team's momentum.

"We had that little bit of luck to get three very important points, as important as they were difficult (to get)," said Villarreal boss Marcelino.

"To get 32 points out of a possible 42, to me, seems like a stunning achievement."

Elsewhere, Real Betis claimed a 2-0 win at Sevilla in a fiery derby clash, which was briefly suspended after home fans threw bottles onto the pitch.

The referee ordered players from the field in the 87th minute at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium, with the match resuming 15 minutes later, as Betis held on to fifth place.

AFP