Girona – Barcelona | LaLiga EA Sports: Porto certifies Girona Champions League
Girona is a Champions League team. Yes, I repeat, Girona is a Champions League team. The merit of Michel’s team is enormous, and their feat is an ode to football. In Spanish football, accustomed to the same people always winning the prizes, this qualification for the king of the European football tournament deserves all the honours. And he did it in style, returning twice from Barça and under his own name: Porto.. Girona are an iconic team, but Murcian’s presence on the pitch changed the match, which Barça dominated 1-2. He tied the game at two with the first ball he touched, gave Miguel Gutierrez a 3-2 lead, and also made it 4-2 with a great goal. Girona are in second place with the Super Cup on the line and victory would give La Liga to Real Madrid.
The Catalan derby had all the makings to be a great game. Second place in the league, a place in the Super Cup and a possible Champions League spot for the locals were on the line. And it was true, as two goals had already been scored in four minutes in a crowded Montilivi. Barcelona was the first to do this thanks to a magnificent goal from the Dane Christensen, who controlled Lamine Yamal’s pass with his chest and, without letting it fall, beat Gazzaniga with a cross volley. Girona made no mistake with the goal and from a central strike they managed to equalize thanks to Ivan Martin’s action on the flank, which ended with a header against Dovbik, goal number 20 in La Liga Pichichi.
The intensity of the match did not lead to a truce. Offensive play from both teams with strong pressure from the visitors on the constant play of the locals. Christensen was about to make it 1-2 when Gazzaniga headed in on the same goal line. Immediately after this, Tsygankov made the score 2:1, but Kubarshi sent the ball in for a corner from close range. The duels marked the development of some of the heavy weights like Araujo and Dovbik and others from fly weights as did Lamine Yamal against Miguel Gutierrez and Savinho against Kounde, who saw a yellow card for a foul on the Brazilians half an hour before the half hour.
Xavi’s men were again close to 1-2 after Cancelo’s cross, which Gundogan headed onto the crossbar. Barça’s second goal came just before half-time thanks to a Miguel Gutiérrez penalty at Lamina Yamal, which Hernández Hernández pointed out after a VAR warning. Lewandowski did not disappoint and continues his scoring streak. There was no time for more, and he retired to the dressing room with an instant score of 1:2, which delayed Real’s victory for a week.
The start of the second half remained at the level of the first, and before two minutes both teams already had good chances. Ivan Martin failed to make a pass to Dovbik when he was alone, Lamin Yamal did not know how to take advantage of David Lopez’s mistake when trying to receive the ball, and Lewandowski almost missed the pass to Lamine. Barcelona started the second half much better, with Cancelo also testing Gazzaniga after the robbery. Xavi’s men looked to make it 1-3 to decide the match before Girona responded.
Sergi Roberto’s mistake
But Girona responded. And he did it in a big way. Michel brought on Couta and Porto and the first ball he touched on the field was 2-2. Sergi Roberto made a mistake with a reckless back pass, which Dovbik took advantage of to feed Port and beat Ter Stegen from close range. A blow for Barça, who were in control of the match, and an extra dose of adrenaline when the score became 3-2 just two minutes later. A new robbery against the locals and against Porto, who allowed Miguel Gutierrez to score after Kounde’s strike. Porto’s departure changed the game from scratch and, just in case, the Murcian confirmed this with an excellent goal from outside the penalty area to make the score 4-2. And he was about to make a double-double, giving Dovbik the fifth, but Kunde dodged the goal line. Montilivi enjoyed his team as never before, a team of champions. And very deservedly so.