A title race tilts again
Girona 2-1 Barcelona was not just a result — it was a warning.
At Estadi Montilivi, Fran Beltran’s 86th-minute strike punished a Barça side that once again failed to control the decisive moments. The defeat leaves Hansi Flick’s men two points behind league leaders Real Madrid, extending a worrying pattern of late-game vulnerability.
Barcelona had chances to shape the narrative earlier. Instead, they left it exposed.
The missed moment before the fall
The pivotal flashpoint arrived in first-half stoppage time.
Awarded a penalty after Daley Blind fouled Dani Olmo, Barcelona handed responsibility to Lamine Yamal. The teenager struck the post. The reprieve emboldened Girona.
Moments like these define title campaigns. Barcelona let theirs drift.
Raphinha had earlier rattled the woodwork, and Ferran Torres went close. Yet efficiency deserted them when it mattered most.
Defensive cracks widen under pressure
Barcelona did find the breakthrough in the 59th minute when Pau Cubarsí headed home Jules Kounde’s delivery. But the lead barely lasted two minutes.
Thomas Lemar equalised swiftly, exploiting space in transition. Girona sensed fragility and pressed.
Beltran’s eventual winner followed a contested build-up, with Barça players appealing for a foul on Kounde. Flick declined to escalate the controversy publicly but made his frustration clear.
“You all saw this play. Was it a foul or not?” the German coach said.
He stopped short of blaming officials entirely.
“We played really badly in the second half. We were poor defensively.”
Fatigue or fading control?
Flick admitted tiredness may be creeping in.
“The team is tired, not fresh. But we need to be hungrier.”
Barcelona’s midfield positioning faltered repeatedly after the break, allowing Girona to dictate transitions. Joan García was forced into multiple saves to prevent a heavier scoreline.
The pattern mirrors their recent Copa del Rey setback against Atlético Madrid.
Back-to-back defeats now test belief.
What this means for the title
LaLiga’s margin for error is thin.
Real Madrid sit top. Barcelona chase. Girona, meanwhile, continue to disrupt expectations with disciplined, opportunistic football.
For Flick’s side, recovery must be immediate. Two days off have been granted. The reset begins Thursday.
If the missed penalty was a moment, the structural issue is bigger: defensive instability under pressure.
In title races, hesitation is expensive.
Barcelona are now paying in points.
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