Barcelona 2-4 Girona: Visitors move top of La Liga with landmark victory over Catalan neighbours
Girona #Girona
Artem Dovbyk’s goal set Girona on their way
Girona underlined their La Liga title credentials with a famous victory at Barcelona to move top of the table.
Goals from Artem Dovbyk, Miguel Gutierrez, Valery Fernandez and Cristhian Stuani gave the visitors a deserved first ever league win over their Catalan rivals.
Robert Lewandowski’s header and Ilkay Gundogan’s late goal were mere consolations for Barca.
The result sees Girona open up a two-point gap to Real Madrid.
Michel’s side are also seven clear of third-placed Atletico Madrid and Barca, who are fourth.
Girona’s rise to the top may have taken many by surprise but on this evidence they have the quality to stay the course.
Ukraine forward Dovbyk’s eighth goal of the campaign set them on their way in the 12th minute and came after he was expertly teed up by his international team-mate Viktor Tsyhankov, who beat the home side’s offside trap to escape down the right channel.
And while Lewandowski headed in an equaliser from Raphinha’s corner to draw Xavi’s side level seven minutes later, the visitors always carried a considerable threat on the counter.
Spain Under-21 left-back Gutierrez restored their lead with a surging run and left-foot finish into the left corner five minutes before the break.
Fernandez looked to have rounded off the scoring in the 80th minute with a fine strike from Stuani’s flick-on after he had skipped past Barca defender Jules Kounde.
German midfielder Gundogan briefly raised hopes of a home fightback in added time, but they were quickly extinguished by Stuani.
The Uruguay forward tapped in Girona’s fourth at the back post to cap a special night for the club, who have never finished higher than 10th and are only in their fourth season in La Liga.
Line-upsBarcelona
Formation 4-3-3
13Peña Sotorres
23Koundé4Araujo15Christensen2Cancelo
21F de Jong22Gündogan8Pedri
11Raphinha9Lewandowski14João Félix
Substitutes
Girona
Formation 3-4-2-1
13Gazzaniga
25García5López17Blind
20Bueno Couto23Martín14García3Gutiérrez
8Tsygankov16Moreira de Oliveira
9Dovbyk
Substitutes
Referee:Isidro Díaz de Mera Escuderos
Attendance:42,848
Live Text
Match ends, Barcelona 2, Girona 4.
Second Half ends, Barcelona 2, Girona 4.
Ronald Araujo (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Fermín López (Barcelona).
Jhon Solís (Girona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Aleix García.
Attempt blocked. Fermín López (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lamine Yamal.
Cristhian Stuani (Girona) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
Goal! Barcelona 2, Girona 4. Cristhian Stuani (Girona) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Sávio.
Foul by João Cancelo (Barcelona).
Portu (Girona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Lamine Yamal with a cross.
Goal! Barcelona 2, Girona 3. Ilkay Gündogan (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ferran Torres.
Attempt missed. Ferran Torres (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by João Cancelo.
Attempt missed. Jhon Solís (Girona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Cristhian Stuani.
Attempt blocked. Jhon Solís (Girona) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Fermín López (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Ilkay Gündogan with a headed pass.
Attempt blocked. Fermín López (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by João Cancelo with a cross.
Substitution, Girona. Jhon Solís replaces Iván Martín.
Attempt missed. Ilkay Gündogan (Barcelona) header from very close range is just a bit too high. Assisted by Lamine Yamal with a cross.