La Liga
CATALONIA CLUB, GIRONA STUNS SPAIN’S REAL MADRID
Nigeria’s Kayode Olarenwaju played for eight minutes in Catalonia-based Girona’s 2-1 defeat of Spanish giants, Real Madrid in Sunday’s La Liga duel. Sports Village Square gathered from AP that the victory is seen more as a political feat by the Catalonia independence agitators as it was celebrated by many throughout Catalonia on Sunday.
The small Catalan club stunned Madrid, the team of the Spanish establishment, with a 2-1 come-from-behind win in the Spanish league — just days after the wealthy north-eastern region declared independence to heighten tensions in a dispute with the central government.
Pro-independence politicians were quick to celebrate. “Girona’s victory over one of the great teams in the world is an example and a reference for many situations,” tweeted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont.
It was Madrid’s first trip to Catalonia since Spain’s political crisis escalated. The match was played after hundreds of thousands of Catalans took to the streets of Barcelona to voice their opposition to the unilateral declaration of independence.
Catalonia’s political leadership was fired Saturday by central authorities in Madrid who are trying to tame the worst political turmoil Spain has seen in decades.
“Today, all of Spain and a great part of the world saw that a small team can achieve anything in this great game of football when it does things well, when it has ambition and pride,” Girona coach Pablo Machin said.
The result left Madrid eight points behind Spanish league leader Barcelona, which on Saturday won 2-0 at Athletic Bilbao for its ninth victory in 10 league matches.
Second-place Valencia, which won 2-1 at Alaves on Saturday, is four points off the lead.
“We can still overcome this,” Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. “We will have better days and our rivals will eventually lose points.”
Despite security concerns ahead of the Spanish capital team’s visit to Girona, a city filled with separatist sentiment just north of Barcelona; there were no major incidents before, during or after the game.
Several pro-independence flags were on display at the small Montilivi Stadium, and the crowd sang “freedom” chants, but nothing disrupted the match. A few Real Madrid supporters could be seen mixed with the local fans in the stands.
Most in the crowd of nearly 14,000 were on their feet throughout the final minutes, and celebrated loudly when the final whistle was blown.
Girona, in its inaugural season in the first division, played well from the start, keeping Madrid from imposing its game.
It almost opened the scoring just before Madrid’s first goal in the 12th minute, when Pablo Maffeo’s shot struck the far post. The Madrid defence picked up the rebound and started a quick counterattack which culminated with Isco scoring a few seconds later after Cristiano Ronaldo’s shot was partly saved by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
The hosts turned the match around with quick goals early in the second half. Veteran striker Christian Stuani equalized with a low shot from inside the area in the 54th, and Portu netted the winner four minutes later from close range. Replays showed that Portu was slightly offside.
“We struggled a lot,” Madrid midfielder Casemiro said. “It’s a complicated moment, but we have to stay calm. We need to start playing better, we need to work harder.”
Lucas Vazquez had a goal disallowed for offside in the 83rd.
Girona, 12th in the standings with 12 points, had already hit the post in the first half.
Girona made a promising start to its top-flight debut, earning a draw against Atletico Madrid and a win at Malaga to give fans hopes of a successful season, but it went on a six-game winless streak until defeating Deportivo La Coruna last week.
Madrid was playing with all of its regular starters after they were rested in the Copa del Rey win over Fuenlabrada on Wednesday.
FC Barcelona have implemented a tailored nutrition and recovery programme for teenage star Lamine Yamal to help him observe Ramadan without compromising his performance levels.
The 18-year-old winger will once again fast during the holy month, having successfully balanced his religious commitment with first-team football last season. However, with competitive fixtures scheduled during Ramadan, Barcelona’s medical staff are taking additional measures to ensure his energy levels, hydration and recovery remain optimal.
Yamal’s first match while fasting is scheduled for Sunday at 4:15 p.m. against Levante.
According to Spanish outlet AS, the approach is not unprecedented at the Catalan club. Barcelona previously developed similar plans for Muslim players, including Ousmane Dembélé, Franck Kessié and Ansu Fati.
The strategy focuses on adjusting meal timing and hydration cycles to align with fasting hours, allowing players to maintain peak fitness while respecting their faith.
Medical experts at the club have emphasised the importance of a balanced iftar meal — avoiding overly heavy or rich foods that could interfere with rest or slow post-match recovery. Hydration protocols are also being closely monitored, with Yamal encouraged to maximise fluid intake during non-fasting hours to compensate for the daytime abstinence.
Balancing Faith and Performance
Ramadan fasting can pose physical challenges for elite athletes, particularly in high-intensity sports that demand sustained concentration and explosive energy. Barcelona’s performance team is therefore closely tracking Yamal’s workload and recovery metrics throughout the month.
Last season, the teenager demonstrated he could maintain high performance standards while fasting, strengthening confidence within the club that he will manage the demands effectively again.
For Barcelona, the initiative reflects a dual commitment — respecting the player’s religious observance while safeguarding the physical condition of one of their most promising talents.
As the fixtures unfold, attention will turn to how the young winger adapts during this period, with supporters and analysts keen to see whether he can once again combine elite football with spiritual discipline.
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- Summary
- Barcelona miss chance to regain LaLiga lead
- Girona’s Fran Beltran scores late winner
- Cubarsi calls for self-reflection after consecutive defeats
Barcelona were stunned by Girona, who roared back to win 2-1 at home in a breathless Catalan derby on Monday, as last season’s champions failed to return to the LaLiga summit, leaving Real Madrid top of the table.
Barcelona struck the woodwork twice in the first half, Raphinha hitting the post before Lamine Yamal fired a penalty against the same upright in added time after Dani Olmo was fouled inside the box.
Pau Cubarsi finally put the visitors ahead in the 59th minute, rising to head home Jules Kounde’s cross from a short corner, but Girona levelled three minutes later when Thomas Lemar converted from close range after Vladyslav Vanat’s cross was confused.
Fran Beltran sealed victory in the 87th minute, steering home from Joel Roca’s pass as the Montilivi stadium erupted.
Barcelona pushed for an equaliser but could not break through, even after Roca was sent off in added time for a reckless foul on Lamine Yamal.
Barca remain on 58 points, two behind Real Madrid, and have lost successive games in all competitions for the first time since October.
“We lacked a bit of everything. We need to be self-critical. We need to improve things and get our act together,” Cubarsi told DAZN.
“After my goal, they scored very quickly to equalise. We got them back into the game too quickly. We need to improve on those goals they score right after we take the lead. Keep your head down and improve.”
BARCA DOMINATE POSSESSION
Hansi Flick welcomed back Frenkie De Jong and Raphinha from injury after their absence in last week’s 4-0 Copa del Rey semi-final first-leg loss to Atletico Madrid, and Barca duly dominated possession early in the game.
Yet their finishing deserted them. Raphinha dragged wide after surging in from the left, while Yamal was denied from point-blank range by keeper Paulo Gazzaniga following a sharp counter down the right.
Girona were content to sit deep and spring forward, repeatedly testing Barcelona’s high defensive line with the pace of Bryan Gil as the former Tottenham Hotspur winger caused persistent problems for Jules Kounde down the left channel.
Gil’s surging runs carved out Girona’s best openings before the break. He twice set up Vanat, who was denied by an exceptional Joan Garcia, and the striker then squandered a gilt-edged chance in the 35th minute, slicing an effort from close range with no defender near him.
Yamal missed from the spot in added time before the break and the contest remained wide open after the interval, finally producing goals in quick succession.
Barcelona broke through in the 59th minute when Cubarsi rose highest from a short corner. Kounde delivered from the right and the defender twisted his neck to send a towering header into the top-right corner, beyond Gazzaniga’s desperate dive.
Their lead lasted barely three minutes, with Lemar equalising as Girona seized momentum, pushing Barcelona back, with Garcia producing two outstanding one-handed saves to keep out efforts from Vanat and Roca when both seemed destined for the bottom corner.
But the keeper was powerless in the 87th minute. Claudio Echeverri drifted across the edge of the box before giving the ball back inside to Roca who squared it to substitute Beltran, who took a touch, lifted his head and slotted into the bottom-left corner to ignite a sold-out crowd.
Girona, who had been on a three-match winless run and hovering near the relegation places, climbed to 12th on 29 points, while Barcelona were left to rue missed chances and a defeat that could yet loom large in the title race.
-Reuters
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Lamine Yamal missed a penalty as Barcelona spurned the chance to return to the top of La Liga, falling to defeat in a fiery Catalan derby against Girona.
Hansi Flick’s side now trails arch rivals Real Madrid by two points in the title race after substitute Fran Beltran struck in the 86th minute at Estadio Montilivi to snatch all three points and ease relegation fears for the home side.
The visitors thought defender Jules Kounde had been fouled in the build-up to the winner, but after a brief video assistant referee (VAR) check, the goal was given.
The hosts were reduced to 10 men midway through stoppage time, with substitute Joel Roca bringing down Lamine Yamal with a lunging challenge.
Yet Barcelona were unable to force an equaliser as they succumbed to just a third league defeat against their regional rivals.
The result marks a second loss in succession for Barcelona, who suffered a 4-0 hammering by Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Thursday.
It was a fiercely fought contest from the off as the hosts took the game to the league leaders, forcing keeper Joan Garcia into a save inside the first minute.
By contrast, Barcelona were lethargic, spurning several gilt-edged chances to take the lead. Lamine Yamal was the main culprit, twice missing from close range before crashing a penalty off the base of the upright in first-half stoppage time.
In the end, two defenders combined to break the deadlock in the 59th minute. Centre-back Pau Cubarsi looped a header into the top corner from right-back Kounde’s cross for his first league goal in Barcelona colours.
The visitors’ joy was short-lived, though, as Girona hit back two minutes later when midfielder Thomas Lemar tapped home Vladyslav Vanat’s centre for his second goal in as many games.
The hosts scored again 10 minutes later as Garcia failed to claim Viktor Tsygankov’s speculative header, though the goalkeeper was awarded a foul for a shove from Roca on the goalline.
The victory ends a three-game winless run for Girona, who move up to 12th, five points clear of the relegation zone.
Barcelona’s league winning run ends at three games, and they face a possible five-point gap at the summit come their next fixture – Real Madrid head to Osasuna on Saturday (17:30 GMT), before Barca host Levante on Sunday (15:15).
-BBC
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