Lamine Yamal Misses Penalty as Girona Clinch Late Win, Leaving Barcelona Trailing Real Madrid
Lamine Yamal: Barcelona falter in Catalan derby as Girona snatch late winner
- Girona snatch 2-1 victory with Fran Beltran’s 86th-minute winner.
- Lamine Yamal misses a crucial penalty in first-half stoppage time.
- Barcelona end three-game league winning streak, now two points behind Real Madrid.
Barcelona missed a golden opportunity to reclaim the top spot in La Liga after falling 2-1 to Girona in a high-intensity Catalan derby at Estadio Montilivi. Lamine Yamal’s missed penalty proved costly as the league leaders slipped two points behind arch-rivals Real Madrid in the title race.
The decisive moment came in the 86th minute when substitute Fran Beltran struck, securing all three points for Girona and easing the hosts’ relegation worries. Barcelona had protested that defender Jules Kounde was fouled in the buildup to the goal, but a quick VAR review allowed the strike to stand.
Girona were reduced to ten men in stoppage time after substitute Joel Roca’s lunging challenge on Yamal, but Barcelona were unable to find a late equaliser, suffering only their third league defeat to their regional rivals.
The loss follows a humiliating 4-0 first-leg defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final, marking back-to-back setbacks for Hansi Flick’s side.
The match began with Girona putting pressure on the visitors, forcing goalkeeper Joan Garcia into an early save inside the first minute. By contrast, Barcelona appeared sluggish, squandering several clear chances. Yamal, in particular, failed to convert multiple opportunities, including a penalty that struck the base of the upright during first-half stoppage time.
Barcelona eventually took the lead in the 59th minute when centre-back Pau Cubarsi headed home a precise cross from Kounde, marking his first league goal for the club. However, Girona responded instantly: two minutes later, Thomas Lemar tapped in Vladyslav Vanat’s delivery for his second goal in consecutive matches.
Girona threatened again ten minutes later when Viktor Tsygankov’s speculative header forced a goal-line scramble, but Garcia’s push from Roca led to a foul being called.
The win ends a three-game winless streak for Girona, lifting them to 12th place, five points clear of the relegation zone. Meanwhile, Barcelona’s three-match league winning streak comes to an end, leaving them at risk of a five-point deficit at the summit. Real Madrid will visit Osasuna on Saturday (17:30 GMT), before Barcelona host Levante on Sunday (15:15).
