Girona have overturned a half-time deficit to register a 2-1 win over Real Madrid in Sunday's La Liga fixture at the Bernabeu, a result which leaves the home side nine points adrift of leaders Barcelona.

Casemiro put Real into the lead but second-half goals from Cristhian Stuani and Portu have provided Girona with arguably the biggest win in their history, a task which was made easier when Sergio Ramos was dismissed during the closing stages.

Real remain third in the La Liga standings but Girona - who had been on a 10-match winless streak in Spain's top flight - are now 15th and sit four points clear of the relegation zone.

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Both teams started brightly with Girona providing as much threat on the counter as Real were in possession, but the first opportunity went to the home side with Lucas Vazquez seeing a shot blocked by Bono having advanced into the penalty area.

The visitors hit straight back through Stuani, with the former Middlesbrough man seeing a well-struck effort from 18 yards punched away by Thibaut Courtois.

However, Real began to up the tempo and their opening goal arrived in the 25th minute through Casemiro, who rose above the Girona backline to meet Toni Kroos's cross and send a header into the bottom corner from 10 yards out.

Real went in search of a second but, to their credit, Girona refused to sit deep in an attempt to avoid conceding another goal before the break and it ensured that the home side had to remain alert at the back.

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Alex Granell was able to get a shot away from distance with five minutes of the first half remaining, but the midfielder's low effort went marginally wide of Courtois's post.

Real went back up the other end with Karim Benzema being denied by Bono from 15 yards out, but a second goal before half time would have been harsh on the visitors.

Santiago Solari's side went on the attack after the restart with Marcelo seeing a long-range strike superbly tipped over the bar by Bono, while Benzema also had an effort deflected just wide of the target.

Benzema followed that up by only finding the side-netting from close range, but Girona should have equalised completely against the run of play with Aleix Garcia firing over from no more than eight yards after Anthony Lozano had seen a header saved by Courtois.

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However, Girona did level shortly afterwards. Stuani's header was kept out by Courtois, but Ramos used his hands to block the rebound, leaving the referee to award a spot kick and book the Real defender.

Stuani had been without a goal in his last four outings in La Liga, but the Uruguayan stepped up to send Courtois the wrong way with a low effort to the Belgian's left.

Gareth Bale was introduced by Solari - who was aware that his side needed to record all three points - but Girona stunned the home crowd by completing the turnaround with 15 minutes remaining.

Lozano's right-footed curler was parried away by Courtois but Portu - who had struck the post moments earlier - was perfectly placed to force a header inside the near post from six yards out.

Real pushed forward during the closing stages with Bale being denied by a block from Bono near the penalty spot, but things went from bad to worse for the home side when Ramos was dismissed for a second yellow card.

Courtois went up for a corner in the last minute of added-on time, but the goalkeeper headed just wide of the target as Girona held on to register a vital three points in their efforts to beat the drop.

REAL MADRID (4-3-3): Courtois; Odriozola, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Kroos, Casemiro, Ceballos (Mariano 74'); Vazquez (Vinicius Junior 58'), Asensio (Bale 66'), Benzema

GIRONA (3-5-2): Bono; Ramalho, Alcala, Juanpe; Porro (Lozano 46'), Pons (A.Garcia 46'), Luiz, Granell, R.Garcia; Portu (Fernandez 84'), Stuani