Barcelona’s first defeat against Girona in La Liga didn’t seem like a big deal to Lionel Messi as the team managed to climb to the top of the points table after 16 matches—an achievement that left Coach Ernesto Valverde pretty satisfied!
After suffering a 4-2 defeat against Girona in La Liga yesterday, Barcelona topped the points table, amassing 41 points, and that brought a lot of contentment for Valverde.
Just two years ago, Girona was in the second tier of Spanish football. Last season, they finished 10th in the league with 49 points. This time, this same Girona is giving tough competition to Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid.
In the match, Barcelona had 31 shots, with 11 on target resulting in goals. Girona, on the other hand, managed 15 shots with 7 on target. However, Barcelona converted 2 out of their 1-shot attempts into goals. In contrast, Girona found the net in 4 out of their 7 shots.
Girona took the lead in the 12th minute through Cristhian Stuani. Robert Lewandowski equalized for Barcelona just seven minutes later. Miguel Giménez put Girona ahead 2-1 before the 40th minute. In the 80th minute, Pere Pons made it 3-1 for Girona. Barcelona managed to reduce the margin in injury time through Gerard Pique, but Girona sealed the deal with another goal from Cristhian Stuani in the 95th minute.
This marks Girona’s first victory against Barcelona in La Liga. This win has lifted Girona to the top of the points table ahead of Real Madrid, with 39 points. At the end of the match, Girona coach emphasized their satisfaction, stating, “We are safe with our 41 points now (from contentment). It has happened earlier than we thought. We have made history.”
This is only Girona’s fourth appearance in La Liga. Many believe that at the end of nearly half of the league matches, the team that has risen to the top can potentially win the championship. Although the Girona coach did not explicitly say that, he did speak about the team’s ability, saying, “We are enjoying this time. The team is progressing in crucial moments. I don’t know if Girona has the capacity to win La Liga, but we can defeat any opponent.”
Barcelona coach Javi Hernandez praised Girona’s successful journey, stating after the 4-2 defeat, “This victory is deserved by them. They have that intelligence. They are seven points ahead of us. We want to reduce the difference. That’s the reality. Barcelona is now restructuring itself. Even though they criticize me for it, they’re questioning me about it. When you lift one foot, the other has to come down.”
Barcelona currently holds the fourth position with 34 points in 16 matches. Atletico Madrid shares the same points, although they’ve played one match less. Real Madrid stands at the second position with 39 points in 16 matches.
