Los Blancos' struggles in La Liga this season continued with yet another surprise defeat.

The debate of the motive behind Real Madrid sanctioning Cristiano Ronaldo's sale to Juventus last summer has resurfaced once again following its surprise defeat to Girona on Sunday. Handicapped through the sending off skipper Sergio Ramos, Los Blancos blew a goal advantage to fall to a surprising 2-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The host saw its chance of potentially rising to the second position boosted after Casemiro powerfully headed home Toni Kroos' cross inside the 25th minute for the game's opener. However, the tables turned in the second half after a Sergio Ramos handball handed Cristiano Stuani the opportunity to equalize from the penalty spot in the 65th minute.

10 minutes later, Portu grabbed the game-winner with a diving header while Real Madrid's misery compounded with the sending off of Ramos in the latter stage of the game. The red card was the Spanish defender's 20th in La Liga, and his 25th across all competitions as a Real Madrid player.

For the most noteworthy consequence of Sunday's upset, the defeat to Girona meant that Real Madrid has now lost seven league games this season. This signifies the club's worst record since the 2008/2009 season – a year before Cristiano Ronaldo's record signing from Manchester United.

Momentarily, Madrid sits in third place with 45 points after 24 league games, nine points adrift table-toppers Barcelona and two points behind second-placed local rivals Atletico Madrid.