FC Barcelona 4-1 Girona FC: Derby Triumph
A Girona own goal, two from Lewandowski, and a late strike from Ferran Torres secure another crucial three points in La Liga.
Just three days after their 3-0 win over Osasuna, Barcelona returned to the Estadi Olímpic for a Catalan derby against Girona. Despite some challenges, they secured a convincing 4-1 victory, maintaining their three-point lead over Real Madrid, who had staged a comeback to beat Leganés 3-2 the night before.
Dominance Finally Rewarded
With 72% possession, Barça dominated the game and should have been ahead long before they broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute. Girona’s goalkeeper, Paulo Gazzaniga, produced several stunning saves, including a remarkable stop from Ronald Araujo’s header.
A controversial moment arose when Fermin López appeared to be pushed, but the referee dismissed penalty claims. Jules Koundé also saw a goal ruled out for offside. However, Barça finally took the lead when Lamine Yamal’s free-kick deflected off Ladislav Krejcí’s hand, deceiving Gazzaniga and rolling into the net.
Girona’s Response
Despite leading 1-0 at halftime, Barça faced a setback early in the second half when Daley Blind set up Arnaut Danjuma, who leveled the score at 1-1.
Lewandowski Takes Control
Barça quickly regained their advantage as a well-worked passing move saw Fermin López head the ball toward Lewandowski, who stretched to convert it into his 24th league goal. The Polish striker wasn’t done yet, netting his 25th of the season after an assist from Frenkie de Jong, making it 3-1.
Sealing the Win
Ferran Torres added a fourth in the 85th minute from a Gerard Martin assist, scoring his fourth goal in three games. Lamine Yamal nearly capped his impressive performance with a stunning goal, but the crossbar denied him.
Next, Barça faces Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday before returning to La Liga action against Real Betis on Saturday.
