aMontilivi vs. Girona gained momentum and took all three points in an exciting match where Barcelona struggled to take the lead again.
Goals from Thomas Lemar in the 66th minute and Fran Beltran in the 86th reminded Girona of a team that came close to achieving this feat a few seasons ago.
Barcelona dropped another three points in La Liga
Despite getting off to a good start and taking the lead in the 59th minute with a goal from Pau Kvarsi, the defensive inattention and the verticality of today’s white-clad team managed to reverse the score and secure an important victory in their hopes of reaching a European place.
The dramatic ending, with Joel Roca’s sending off in the 99th minute and Lamine Yamal’s penalty miss in the first half that should have meant at least a draw, saw Girona move up a few places to 12th on 29 points, still far from the top five, but with a big boost they could continue climbing.
Barcelona crisis? 2 consecutive losses
Just on February 12, Atlético suffered a crushing defeat in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, finishing with a score of 4-0, and now they have missed out on a valuable point, handing the lead to Real Madrid, who are in good form, at least in the league.
In a week’s time, the Catalan team finds itself facing a wall in the two competitions in which it has the best chance of winning. But there is still time to correct the situation. To do that, they need to pick up three points and hope for an upset from Real Madrid in La Liga, but in the Copa del Rey they need a miracle to happen in the second semi-final leg against Atlético Madrid on March 3 at the Camp Nou. On the plus side, Xavi Hernández’s side will play their next three games at home, which could be important in getting themselves out of the hole they have found themselves in. However, the outlook is not very bright, at least when it comes to the Copa del Rey.
Barcelona’s upcoming matches
Barcelona vs Levante | February 22 Barcelona vs Villarreal | February 28 Barcelona vs Atlético Madrid | March 3 Athletic Club vs Barcelona | March 8
Given the unfavorable scoreline in the Copa del Rey, the inconsistency, Real Madrid’s strong form in La Liga and the difficulty of competitions like the Champions League, this could be a fateful year for Hansi Flick and his team, something that would have been unthinkable just a few weeks ago.
