Barça leaves the lead in Montilivi

FC Barcelona lost this Monday against Girona FC in Montilivi (2-1) in the last match of the twenty-fourth matchday of LaLiga EA Sports, in which the azulgranas wasted a penalty, missed by Lamine Yamal, at the end of the first half and saw how Míchel’s men came back from Pau Cubarsí’s goal, all to leave the leadership in the hands of Real Madrid.

In a very entertaining clash in Montilivi, the exchange of chances in the first half ended with an opportunity for Hansi Flick’s team to go ahead, but the ’10’ sent the ball crashing into the post in the extra time penalty. Cubarsí, with a header, opened the scoring in the 58th minute, although the advantage lasted only two minutes for the ‘culer’ team, which took Thomas Lemar to tie the duel.

Fran Beltrán, coming off the bench, managed to turn it around in an action much protested by the visiting team, who failed to neutralize the goal and said goodbye to the lead. Now, the Madridistas lead the table with 60 points, two more than Flick’s. Meanwhile, Girona escapes from the bottom zone and already manages five points above the relegation places.

The Catalan derby offered a hectic first 45 minutes, full of very clear chances but, yes, without aim. The ‘culer’ team was the first to warn in an action in which Raphinha, back in the eleven, left a ball in the front for Lamine Yamal who took a screw that left without finding a goal.

It was not by any means the best first half for the Barça ’10’, but in return Joan Garcia vindicated himself after his Cup doubts. He had to appear after seven minutes when Vladyslav Vanat arrived in which he managed to catch the ball in time. Shortly after, Gerard Martín thwarted another chance for Viktor Tsygankov. It was only the 9th minute.

Raphinha, after the first quarter of an hour, tried his luck with a low shot that went wide, and Lamine, in a quick counter to Hansi Flick’s team, tried to chip the ball over Paulo Gazzaniga, who deflected it to avoid the goal.

The exchange of blows continued with another shot from Vanat that was caught by Joan Garcia and a cross shot from Ferran Torres, which were followed by a whip from the edge of the Brazilian and, above all, a one-on-one from Vanat against the Barça goalkeeper, who held on and took a providential hand to prevent the 1-0 score. Fermín and Vanat, who narrowly missed finishing off a very dangerous pass from Bryan Gil, continued to encourage the contest.

Tsygankov, in a foul near the corner of the area, touched the crossbar and just a few seconds later the Barça response came with a low shot from Raphinha that repelled the post. Then, in stoppage time, Lamine made a good pass to Dani Olmo and Daley Blind stopped him with a stomp. Soto Grado did not hesitate and gave a penalty.

Raphinha went for the ball, but at the last moment Lamine took it. He stood on the eleven meters and tried to surprise Gazzaniga with a cross shot to the right post, but the ball crashed into the woodwork and Barça saw their chance to take the lead disappear.

The pace did not slow down with the start of the second half, in which Girona had a three for two that Vanat was unable to take advantage of. In the 58th minute, Vitor Reis took a dangerous ball and caused a corner kick in which the Barça goal would arrive; Jules Koundé crossed and Pau Cubarsí appeared in the heart of the area, who with a brilliant header managed to send the ball into the back of the net (min.59).

However, the reaction of Míchel’s team was immediate. Cubarsí poorly cleared the center into the Vanat area and Thomas Lemar caught the ball to, on the goal line, score at will and unleash madness in Montilivi (min.61). There began a few minutes of siege by the local team.

Faced with the ‘gironí’ gale, Joan Garcia emerged. In the 71st minute, Iván Martín got rid of Cubarsí and Eric Garcia and tried to beat the ‘culer’ goalkeeper with a cross shot, who took him out; The rebound fell to Vanat and his new shot was met with another extraordinary save from the ground. The entire play was ruled out due to offside. It was not the last for the man from Sallent, who just two minutes later stuck out his foot to prevent Joel Roca’s goal.

The end was approaching and the final blow came from the locals in a controversial action. Echeverri collided with Koundé, an action not reviewed by the VAR, the ball reached Joel Roca and he served back for the arrival of Fran Beltrán, who with a low shot hit the right post (min.86).

Flick’s team looked for an equalizer and dreamed of it in stoppage time, when Robert Lewandowski managed to find the net, although the action was disallowed for offside. Joel Roca forgave the sentence, and shortly after he went to the locker room early due to a very harsh tackle on Lamine Yamal that generated a brawl. Nothing moved and the leadership stayed in Madrid.

TECHNICAL SHEET.

–RESULT: GIRONA FC, 2 – FC BARCELONA, 1 (0-0, at half-time).

–ALIGNMENTS.

GIRONA FC: Gazzaniga; Hugo Rincón, Arnau, Vitor Reis, Blind; Witsel, Iván Martín (French, min.92); Tsygankov, Lemar (Beltrán, min.68), Bryan Gil (Joel Roca, min.68) and Vanat (Echeverri, min.73).

FC BARCELONA: Joan Garcia; Koundé, Cubarsí, Eric Garcia (Araujo, min.73), Gerard Martín (Balde, min.63); De Jong, Olmo (Bernal, min.80), Fermín; Raphinha (Roony, min.63), Lamine Yamal y Ferran Torres (Lewandowski, min.73).

–GOALS.

0-1, minute 59: Cubarsí.

1-1, minute 63: Lemar.

2-1, minute 86: Fran Beltrán.

–REFEREE: Soto Grado (C.Riojano). He cautioned Vitor Reis (min.100) for Girona FC and Eric Garcia (min.41) and Koundé (min.84) for FC Barcelona. Joel Roca was sent off (min.99) with a direct red card.

–STADIUM: Montilivi. 14,043 spectators.