Girona have gone again to the top of La Liga because of a well-known 4-2 win over Barcelona at Estadi Lluis Companys.
The City Group-owned membership moved two factors clear of Real Madrid and a whopping seven clear of Barcelona – who drop right down to fourth following the defeat – because of objectives from Artem Dovbyk, Miguel Gutierrez, Valery Fernandez and Cristhian Stuani.
Robert Lewandowski and Ilkay Gundogan bought the comfort objectives on what was an abysmal night time for Xavi Hernandez’s facet.
How the sport unfolded
After a frantic opening ten minutes wherein each side confirmed a capability to harm their opposition, it was shockingly Girona who’d draw first blood.
The aim would come courtesy of the La Liga high-flyer’s star Ukrainian duo Viktor Tsygankov and Artem Dovbyk, with the previous bursting in behind a porous Barca defence earlier than squaring to Dovbyk, who made no mistake along with his subsequent effort on aim – coolly side-footing off the publish and into the again of the online.
Barca got here near restoring parity quickly after when Raphinha stole in on the again publish to latch onto an exquisite curling cross from Joao Cancelo. However, ex-Tottenham goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga was in the precise place on the proper time to smother the Brazilian’s half-volleyed effort.
The residence facet weren’t made to rue that missed probability for too lengthy, as two minutes later Robert Lewandowski made it 1-1.
The Polish worldwide rose highest from a Raphinha nook kick to nod residence his first aim since November and get his facet again within the contest.
Not to be deterred by shedding their lead within the recreation, Girona continued to trigger Barca’s backline issues all through the rest of the primary half. The greatest possibilities the guests would create in that interval would all fall to Miguel Gutierrez. The first would come after Gutierrez burst down the left flank and drifted infield previous Ronald Araujo, earlier than curling an effort from the left hand facet of the publish spin narrowly broad of the far publish.
His second probability would finish in related circumstances, with the 22-year-old firing narrowly broad of the publish from across the penalty spot after being discovered cleverly by Savio.
At the third time of asking, within the fortieth minute, the flying wing-back would lastly get his aim. After as soon as once more drifting in from the flank, Gutierrez slipped previous Jules Kounde and fired fantastically into the top left nook of the online to make it 2-1.
Barca started to say their dominance territorially at the beginning of the second half, however did not actually trigger Girona’s backline too many issues till Xavi Hernandez launched Ferran Torres, Lamine Yamal and Alejandro Balde with 25 minutes of the sport remaining.
It could be the latter who’d create the primary significant probability of the half for the house facet, with Ferran Torres cleverly squaring to Ilkay Gundogan inside of the field earlier than watching his teammate drill the ball narrowly broad of the far publish.
That missed proved pricey for Barcelona as, as an alternative of drawing degree at 2-2, quickly after it was 3-1 to Girona. Substitute Cristhian Stuani made essentially the most of a route one ball up into the Barca field to nod into the trail of fellow substitute Valery Fernandez, who then brilliantly side-footed into the underside proper nook of the online.
Barcelona did handle to make the ultimate couple of minutes reasonably nervy for Girona because of a aim from Gundogan. The ex-Man City man’s swivelling volley from the sting of the six yard field was effectively taken, however in the end did not make a lot of a distinction within the recreation as, three minutes later, Girona went again up the opposite finish to make it 4-2.
Girona’s fourth of the sport would come, as soon as once more, courtesy of A lofted ball over the top which Barca merely did not take care of. This time that ball was into the trail of Savio who, after racing into the field, chipped into the trail of Stauni on the again publish. The towering striker was then in a position to slot into the online from level clean vary.
GK: Inaki Pena – 5/10 – Beaten 4 occasions, however in truth could not do a lot about any of the objectives.
RB: Jules Kounde – 2/10 – Girona exploited his facet of the pitch within the first half. He could not deal with Gutierrez in any respect.
CB: Ronald Araujo – 2/10 – Struggled to take care of Girona’s physicality up top.
CB: Andreas Christensen – 3/10 – Caught out with a ball in behind within the lead as much as Girona’s opener.
LB: Joao Cancelo – 4/10 – Got ahead effectively however left an excessive amount of area in behind when doing so.
CM: Ilkay Gundogan – 7/10 – Played a bit additional ahead than traditional within the second half and seemed infinitely simpler than he has achieved beforehand in a Barca shirt. Scored a stunning aim late on.
CM: Frenkie de Jong – 5/10 – Didn’t do a lot incorrect on the ball, finishing 91% of his passes, however did not do sufficient to display his backline on the day.
CM: Pedri – 5/10 – The midfielder did not actually make an impression on the sport.
RW: Raphinha – 5/10 – Just a few too many heavy touches when he had the possibility to burst by way of on aim after being performed the ball. Bagged an help, however ought to’ve achieved a lot extra.
ST: Robert Lewandowski – 6/10 – Finally. Lewa scored his first La Liga aim since early November on Sunday. It was a pleasant header too.
LW: Joao Felix – 4/10 – Flattered to deceive after a game-winning efficiency final week in opposition to Atletico Madrid.
Substitutes
SUB: Ferran Torres (65′ for Joao Felix) – 6/10
SUB: Alejandro Balde (65′ for Andreas Christensen) – 5/10
SUB: Lamine Yamal (65′ for Raphinha) – 5/10
SUB: Fermin Lopez (80′ for Pedri) – 5/10
Manager – Xavi Hernandez – 2/10 – Completely out-thought by Girona supervisor Michel, the Barca boss merely did not have a solution for something the opposition threw at his facet on Sunday night time.
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