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Too much punishment for so little Barça

Closed in his area, taking water as he could and asking the time. That’s how Barça finished yesterday in Montilivi against a Girona team that when they got there it was already late and they regretted not having tried earlier. Because, who knows when the Girona team will be so close again to scratching a point or, even, winning a whole Barça. Too many minutes of prudence and caution were those of Míchel, who parked the characteristic audacity to cover up and not get hurt too soon against the Blaugrana. At the time of truth, however, without Lewandowski and with Dembélé injured at half-time, Barça were not as formidable as people thought and only Pedri made a difference. The canary, in fact, was the author of the goal that tipped the scales and gave the Blaugrana the three points in the second half. Of course, thanks to a poor rejection by Juanpe that originated the action of the goal. The 0-1 broke a first hour of the game that was very bad with chances counted and a very serious Girona, especially in defense. Juanpe’s mistake, aided by a poor clearance from Gazzaniga, relaxed Barça who saw Míchel’s men take two steps forward and eat them up. The changes made by the coach, who ended up being sent off for protesting, made the team grow and, with Stuani, Iván Martín and Villa, Roca and Valery on the pitch, subdued Barça as they usually do with all the rivals that come to Montilivi.

Iván Martín forgave the tie in this shot. martí martí


Iván Martín will dream for a few days about the missed opportunity that would have been 1-1 and Stuani will curse the half centimeter that prevented him from finishing better in the last action of the match. It all ended with Barça pleading with the referee for the end of the game, but with the three points in the balance against a Girona side that came out cheered by the more than 13,402 spectators who attended Montilivi. The final recognition was not contradicted by the complaints towards the decision of Muñiz Ruiz not to whistle a penalty for a hold of Eric Garcia in the area on Stuani by those who like Del Cerro Grande so much. The good feelings at the end of yesterday and the controversy in Vila-real should not hide the fact that the team has chained two defeats and today you can see how things get complicated for them in the classification and the danger zone approaches only one point .

Castellanos, in the foreground, after Pedri’s goal. martí martí


Michel had no doubt about it. At least that’s how he said it publicly, that he wouldn’t change the way he played no matter how much Barça came. Girona would be brave and daring with, of course, the logical precautions of the game. What few thought was that these precautions would be applied immediately and last so long. In fact, until Pedri made it 0-1, Míchel’s men didn’t believe they could hurt Barça. And sure they could. In fact, they did and only Toni Villa’s poor aim and, above all, Iván Martín’s, prevented Girona from getting anything positive out of yesterday’s game. Stuani’s final header at the hands of Ter Stegen was the last attempt, also failed, by a Girona team that got into it too late. Of course, the last minutes with Barça on the ropes and asking for time on the hour with Xavi Hernández, very nervous on the bench, will remain in the memory.

Valery, with Koundé, gave air to the Girona attack. martí martí


Without the two main center backs Bueno and David López available and with Callens having just landed, Juanpe and Bernardo were chosen to play in the center. This caused the team to form from the start with a very low block and the line very backward because Míchel did not want spaces in his back. Barça monopolized the ball, but there was very little danger during an insipid first half. Offensively, Girona were not at all bright either and only Couto in a clear counterattack in which he cut instead of kicking and slipped, rubbed the danger. Barça’s very high pressure made it difficult for Girona to get the ball out and Gazzaniga got into a bit of a mess which he himself solved well in front of Dembélé. The Frenchman was injured before half an hour and with him the Blaugrana’s capacity for imbalance was diluted, because Raphinha did not exist. Juanpe would warn that he did not have the day in a mistake in the pass that Fati did not know how to finish in the first half.

Juanpe and Busquets were the captains of the two teams. m. martí


Barça increased the pace in the second half without the opportunities arriving either. Of course, Girona suffered and saw how Juanpe’s error would end with Pedri’s 0-1. From there, Míchel’s men, who hadn’t shot between the posts for seventy-five minutes, woke up. Stunned by Valery’s audacity, Girona believed it and began to subdue Barça. So much so that Xavi was forced to withdraw offensive elements to end up playing without a centre-forward. Iván Martín saved what should have been an equalizer from Aleix Garcia’s cross and, with the team reeling, Ter Stegen saved Stuani’s last-gasp header. Girona had arrived late and left with the regret of knowing what would have happened if he had done it earlier.

Too much punishment for so little Barça


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