Barça's Backline Clowns Around: Girona's Late Sting Hands Madrid LaLiga Crown
Barcelona suffered a dramatic 2-1 defeat to Girona, slipping to second in LaLiga behind Real Madrid after a controversial late winner. Hansi Flick slammed his side's poor defending in transitions but refused to blame the referee, opting for rest and reflection ahead of upcoming games. The loss compounds a tough week following a 4-0 Copa del Rey hammering by Atlético Madrid.
Barça's Defence Turns into a Circus as Girona Pull Off Shock Win
Picture this: Barcelona heading to Montilivi, desperate to bounce back from a 4-0 Copa del Rey thrashing by Atlético Madrid. Instead, they serve up another comedy of errors, losing 2-1 to Girona and gifting Real Madrid top spot in LaLiga. As reported by Sam Marsden at ESPN Spain, it was a night where the Catalans' rearguard resembled a three-ring circus more than a solid unit.
Young Pau Cubarsí nodded them ahead early in the second half, but Lamine Yamal had already fluffed a penalty just before the break. Thomas Lemar levelled things up pronto, and then, with four minutes left, Fran Beltrán – Girona's January coup – rifled home the winner. Chaos ensued, with Barça howling about a blatant foul by Claudio Echeverri on Jules Koundé in the build-up. Sound familiar? Just days after their official whinge to the RFEF and CTA over dodgy refs.
Flick's Brutal Self-Assessment: No Excuses, Just Rubbish Defending
Hansi Flick wasn't mincing words post-match, but he refused to pin it all on the whistler. "Everyone saw the foul before the second goal," he admitted, "but Girona deserved it. We defended like amateurs, especially in transition – too open, midfield all over the shop." The German gaffer even cracked a grim joke: the ref's level matched Barça's performance. Ouch.
No complaints, no excuses, he insisted. Instead, Flick turned the mirror on his lot: poor play, tiredness, lack of hunger after the Atlético battering. "We had chances, the pen, but it happens," he shrugged. It's the kind of straight talk you love from a manager – none of that VAR whining bollocks.
Ale Moreno nailed it on the telly: Barça's defence was a 'circus'. Open play, positional lapses, and that killer transition moment? Textbook how-not-to-defend. And this after Cubarsí's header briefly sparked hope in an end-to-end thriller.
Topsy-Turvy Week Leaves Barça Reeling – Time to Reset?
This Girona gut-punch caps a rotten seven days. Thursday's 4-0 semi-final first-leg loss to Atlético exposed frailties; now they're two points adrift of Madrid at the summit. Slipping to second hurts, especially with the Blancos lurking like sharks.
Flick's fix? Two days off for the weary troops. "They're knackered," he said. "More control, fewer cock-ups, and it's a different story." Fair play – rest up, recharge that hunger. No midweekers for a fortnight means a training slog ahead of Sunday's home clash with Levante at Spotify Camp Nou.
Everyone's gutted, but Flick's rallying cry rings true: fight back, attack the top. Barça's got the talent – Yamal's flair, Cubarsí's promise – but they need steel. Girona, meanwhile, are loving life, proving minnows can bite. LaLiga's a beast, innit? Madrid fans are toasting already, but the Culés aren't done yet.
Will Flick whip them into shape? Or is this the start of a slide? Grab your pint, mate – it's going to be a wild ride to the title.