Echeverri's Cheeky Foot-Step Sinks Barça: Girona Pull Off LaLiga Shock!

Picture this: Barcelona, the LaLiga giants chasing down Real Madrid, undone by a cheeky Argentine loanee who admits to stepping on a defender's toes. Yeah, you read that right. Girona nicked a 2-1 upset at home, leaving Hansi Flick with no excuses and the Blaugrana fuming.

As reported by Adriana Garcia at ESPN Spain, the drama unfolded in the 86th minute. Sub Claudio Echeverri, fresh off the bench, sparked the winner but not without controversy. Barça players screamed foul as he tangled with Jules Koundé in the build-up. VAR had a peek, shrugged, and let it stand. Echeverri? All grins post-match: accidental foot-on-foot, mate, but we'll take the points!

The Underdog Bites Back

Girona, sitting comfy in the City Football Group family tree, climbed to 12th with this beauty. They outran, outfought, and outsmarted a Barça side that missed a pen through young Lamine Yamal. Flick was brutally honest afterwards – his lot deserved to lose. No hiding behind dodgy ref calls; just not good enough on the day.

Echeverri, the 20-year-old wizard, was buzzing. Fourth league outing for the Blanquivermells, and he chips in on the decider. 'We ran a lot,' he beamed. 'Barcelona are the best in the world, but we earned it.' Proper pub banter material – underdogs feasting on the big boys.

From City Flop to Girona Glow-Up

Let's rewind on this kid. Signed by Manchester City in 2024 after dazzling at River Plate, Echeverri barely got a sniff under Pep – three caps, that's it. Loan to Bayer Leverkusen? A nightmare. Just 270 minutes in 11 games, and he called it 'very bad times'.

January switch to Girona? Now we're talking. 'Trying to get back to the version City bought,' he told the press. Happy days in Spain, contributing to the win, and eyeing more. 'I tried to help, glad I did.' Humble pie? Nah, just relief after the German misery.

Shown the replay on El Chiringuito TV, even he copped to the foot-step: 'Yes, I trod on him, but running fast – accidental!' Fair play, ref. Barça now second, two points behind Madrid. Girona? Momentum surge incoming.

Flick's verdict? Straight talk: no blame on the 'clear' foul, just own the loss. Yamal's missed spot-kick haunts, but that's footy. Echeverri's redemption arc? One to watch. LaLiga's full of these twists – keeps us glued, doesn't it?

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