Míchel burxa in Xavi’s injuries and Girona are leaders of the League

BarcelonaMíchel Sánchez’s Girona is once again the leader. It is alone. Ahead of Real Madrid and, of course, Barça. Like this: Míchel’s Girona. Because it is a signature team, meticulously sculpted by its coach and finished on the grass by a group of players who are marveling with their good play. Against Barça, that team that one day became the king of Europe because they played excellent football, Girona were better and, above all, much more forceful (2-4). The people of Girona are writing a beautiful story. In their umpteenth exhibition, they played on the wounds of a Barça that falls back to fourth place.

Míchel finished the game emotional, crying on the lawn of the Lluís Companys Stadium. And that the film could have started very differently. Xavi’s men jumped on the grass better, telling Girona that the ball would belong to Blaugrana, and the first approaches were made by Lewandowski, Raphinha, Pedri and company. Barça were intense, and during the first few minutes it seemed that they showed the same good face as in the triumph against Atlético. But in the first mismatch in pressure, Girona did not forgive. A move from the defense in no man’s land – as Iñigo Martínez is missing – ended with the ball at the feet of Couto, who, alone in front of a clueless João Félix, served a long pass that a too soft Christensen did not refuse In a three and nothing the Ukrainian connection Tsygankov-Dobvyk manufactured the first goal.

As on Porto’s day, Barça took pride in reacting quickly, and Lewandowski equalized with a header from a corner. This is one of Girona’s weakest links, which has already scored a handful of goals like this. The tie spurred the Blaugrana. After a delicious combination between Félix and Cancelo, the second could have arrived, but it would be Girona who would start to show why they know how to play like the angels. When Míchel’s men came fully into the game, they made the Blaugrana challenge with good football. A handful of players who were unknown until recently became world-class stars. Romeu watched it all on the bench, perhaps regretting having changed Girona for Barcelona.

Xavi will not be able to excuse the decline of his team in a problem of mentality. When Míchel’s Girona was dusted off the stage panic began to make his rival dizzy. Gündogan and De Jong chased shadows, and they always arrived late: clumsy, slow… Ivan Martín drove freely to the front and Miguel appeared – now inside, now on the side – undetectable. Before being the author of the goal that would advance Girona again at the break, the full-back had up to two shots almost consecutively. In the first, a feline hand from Iñaki Peña saved the Blaugrana. In the second, he kicked a little off. On the third, he uncorked the bottle of cava: a goulash.

Miguel Gutiérrez performs against Barça

Miguel is not a winger, even if it appears that way on the lineup sheet that is distributed before the games. Miguel does not have a position. On the grass he plays a role, he is the protagonist of a false anarchy to appear in different areas of the attack flank. The Madrid native skillfully executes a plan worked out to perfection by his coach and which he embroidered against Barça. It’s not that the Blaugrana gave up, it’s that, simply, Girona played better. Savinho, who had spent almost the entire first half hour without smelling the ball, had enough in the last 15 minutes of the first half to start to take center stage. The Brazilian winger took out Kounde’s wrist while Dobvyk fixed the centrals.

Araujo, who ended up throwing on the protective mask he had started with because of a broken jaw, and Christensen couldn’t lose sight of the bulky Ukrainian battering ram. Dovbyk doesn’t just shoot, he’s a great asset: offloading balls and playing head-to-head. He doesn’t tend to make life difficult for himself and makes everything easier for his team, a recipe that Lewandowski would do well to apply from time to time. The Pole, author of the first goal, would try again in the second half, in which Barça came out with more hunger than force.

In the tactical duel between two coaches who preach positional football, a classic maxim would eventually prevail: the Girona players ended up being more forceful in the areas. Valeri signed the third when Barça were attacking the most. But he did it with soft shots, with inaccuracy, and Girona punished him. If Xavi’s team can’t be blamed for anything, it’s that they didn’t lose faith: Gündogan made it 2-3 in added time. Lewandowski wasted just then a Lamine Yamal candy to equalize. It was an oasis in the desert. Because Stuani, with Barça going crazy, rounded off the scoreboard to tell all of Europe that Girona’s fairy tale is not over.

2023-12-10 22:00:32
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