Girona 2-1 Barcelona: Beltrán’s late winner caps upset at Montilivi

Girona earned a memorable 2-1 victory over Barcelona at Estadio Montilivi, with substitute Fran Beltrán rifling home in the 86th minute to punish a wasteful Barcelona and lift Girona away from the relegation zone. Barcelona missed a prime chance to go back to the top of LaLiga when Lamine Yamal hammered a first-half penalty against the post.

How the game unfolded

The Catalan derby sprung to life from the first whistle. Girona goalkeeper Joan García was called into action inside the opening minute, setting the tone for a combative home display. Barcelona, by contrast, produced several clear openings but repeatedly failed to find the composure to convert them into goals.

Barcelona’s best opportunity came late in the first half when they were awarded a penalty in stoppage time; Lamine Yamal struck the spot-kick onto the base of the upright and the chance was gone. The miss cast a shadow over a side that had already fluffed multiple close-range efforts, including wasteful attempts from within the six-yard box.

Girona opened the scoring in the 59th minute when centre-back Pau Cubarsí looped a header into the top corner from Jules Koundé’s cross for his first league goal in Barcelona colours. The lead lasted barely two minutes: Thomas Lemar capitalised on a Vladyslav Vanat delivery to level, finishing a quick response that briefly swung momentum back to the visitors.

The game remained tight and tense until the decisive moment. In the 86th minute, Girona substitute Fran Beltrán found space and fired home the winner, a strike that sent Montilivi into raptures and ultimately proved to be the match-winner after a brief VAR check earlier in the move had allowed play to continue.

Tensions boiled over in stoppage time when Girona were reduced to 10 men after substitute Joel Roca was shown a red card for a lunging challenge on Lamine Yamal, but Barcelona could not fashion a late equaliser.

Key moments and player takeaways

Lamine Yamal’s penalty miss was the single defining moment for Barcelona: a converted spot-kick would have restored their advantage in the title race and silenced the home crowd. Instead, the miss compounded a day full of squandered opportunities from close range for Barcelona attackers, with headers and gilt-edged chances going begging.

For Girona, the victory showcased grit and opportunism. The hosts defended stoutly when required and took advantage of Barcelona’s profligacy in the final third. Fran Beltrán’s introduction shifted the game, while Vladyslav Vanat’s involvement in the equaliser underlined Girona’s threat on the break. Joel Roca’s late dismissal will be a blow, but it did not cost Girona the three points.

What the result means

The win ends a three-game winless run for Girona and lifts them to 12th in the table, five points clear of the relegation zone. For Barcelona, it is a damaging second defeat in succession following a heavy cup loss earlier in the week, and the title race is now tighter: the visitors sit two points behind the current leaders.

Barcelona face a quick turnaround with a league match at home coming up, while the side ahead in the standings head into their next fixture on Saturday at 12: 30 PM ET. Barcelona’s next match kicks off on Sunday at 10: 15 AM ET, a period that will be watched closely to see whether the Catalan giants can arrest this mini-slump and restore momentum.

Montilivi provided a reminder that rivalries and small margins define the season; Girona took theirs, and Barcelona were left to rue a penalty that could have changed everything.