Girona stun Barcelona 2-1 as Yamal penalty miss and late Beltrán strike decide thriller
Girona produced a dramatic comeback to beat Barcelona 2-1 on Monday night (ET), capitalizing on a missed Lamine Yamal penalty and a late Fran Beltrán winner to dent the defending champions' title bid. The result leaves Barcelona two points behind the league leaders and raises fresh questions about their form after a bruising week.
Early hope, a wasted spot kick and a rapid response
Barcelona looked set to take control after a first-half penalty was awarded, but Lamine Yamal struck the post on the stroke of half-time and the chance was gone. The miss proved costly: 14 minutes into the second half Pau Cubarsí met a cross from Jules Koundé and powered a header into the top corner to put the visitors ahead. That goal also marked Barcelona's 100th in all competitions this season, a milestone that highlighted their attacking output even in a night of frustration.
Girona responded almost immediately. Thomas Lemar turned provider and Vladyslav Vanat's strong work on the left created the opening; Lemar dinked a close-range finish past Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García to level the score within minutes of falling behind. The quick replies from both teams set up a frantic closing period as chances flowed at both ends.
Late winner and mounting concerns for Barcelona
As the clock wound down it was Girona who found the decisive blow. Substitute Fran Beltrán smashed a low shot from inside the box with just three minutes remaining to put the hosts ahead and ultimately seal the win. Tension boiled over in stoppage time when Girona's Joel Roca was sent off, but the dismissal had no bearing on the outcome.
The defeat compounds a difficult spell for Barcelona. They arrive home having suffered a heavy cup loss earlier in the week and now face renewed scrutiny over their defensive vulnerabilities and finishing efficiency. Despite creating numerous opportunities, the visitors were unable to convert enough of them—continuing a recent trend of high shot volume but disappointing returns.
For Girona, the victory ended a three-game stretch without a win and lifted them into midtable. The three points were a timely morale boost and underline how tight the league remains: a small cluster of clubs are separated by only a handful of points, and single moments can have outsized consequences for both momentum and standings.
Implications and what comes next
Barcelona now sit second in the standings, two points adrift of the summit, and must regroup quickly to arrest a mini-crisis. Questions about finishing quality, game management and reaction to setbacks will dominate the coach's brief in training this week. Girona, meanwhile, can take confidence from a resilient performance and a late finish that showcased their capacity to punish opponents in transition and on set plays.
The result will reverberate across the title race and the midtable scramble alike. Barcelona's large number of chances this month underlines their creativity, but converting those opportunities into points will be decisive in the run-in. Girona have demonstrated they can be dangerous at home; by taking three points in a high-stakes match, they have injected fresh uncertainty into the league picture.
