Girona 2-1 Barcelona: Beltrán stuns Barca after Yamal misses penalty in fiery Catalan derby
Girona produced a dramatic upset at Estadio Montilivi, beating LaLiga leaders Barcelona 2-1 on Monday night. Lamine Yamal missed a first-half penalty and Barcelona surrendered a lead before substitute Fran Beltrán rifled home an 86th-minute winner to leave the visitors reeling.
How the game unfolded
Barcelona started sluggishly and spurned several gilt-edged opportunities, with Lamine Yamal notably guilty of wasting close-range chances. The defining moment of the first half came in stoppage time when Yamal's penalty cannoned off the base of the post, keeping the scores level heading into the break.
The deadlock was broken in the 59th minute when right-back Jules Koundé whipped in a cross that Pau Cubarsí met with a looping header into the top corner for his first league goal in Barcelona colours. Girona hit back almost immediately; Thomas Lemar tapped home Vladyslav Vanat's centre two minutes later to restore parity and galvanise the home crowd.
For large spells the contest remained fiercely contested. Girona pressed with energy and forced Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García into early saves, while Barca's attack looked blunt at times despite opportunities for the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Roony Bardghji.
Late drama and discipline
The decisive moment arrived in the 86th minute when Fran Beltrán, introduced from the bench, lashed a strike past the goalkeeper after a brief review by the match officials. There was a VAR check into the build-up but the goal stood, sparking wild celebration among the hosts.
Tension boiled over in stoppage time when Girona substitute Joel Roca lunged at Lamine Yamal and was shown a red card for the challenge, reducing the home side to ten men. Barcelona pressed in the final moments but could not force an equaliser, and the visitors left Montilivi empty-handed.
What this means for both teams
The result ends a three-game winless run for Girona and lifts them away from immediate relegation danger, moving them to 12th in the table and providing a timely morale boost. For Barcelona, the defeat marks a second consecutive loss across competitions and halts a brief league winning run.
The miss from Yamal — coupled with a lack of clinical finishing at key moments — proved costly for the league leaders. The loss tightens the title race and hands Girona a memorable victory in a heated regional derby that will be dissected by both clubs in the days ahead.
Last update: 16 February 2026, 4: 58 PM ET.
