A dialogue was established in Montilivi from goal to goal. Neither Girona nor Athletic Club spared any effort. One’s attack was another’s response. And the one who led the way was Paulo Gazzaniga, the hero and savior of his team, the nightmare for his rival. He stopped two penalties, although three shots – the second shot from eleven meters had to be repeated by orders of the VAR – to three different players: first to Berenguer (minute 28), and then consecutively to Iñaki Williams and Ander Herrera (minute 58 ). “One, when you face a penalty, as a goalkeeper you always think that you are going to save it. We were watching the penalties with the goalkeeping coach and this time it went well,” the goalkeeper said after the match. This Sunday he became the first goalkeeper in the entire history of the League to neutralize two penalties against Athletic. The Giróni public abandoned itself to humor. “Penalty! Penalty!”, they repeated the entire match with each foul. And in the end the tables were turned, and it was Girona who enjoyed a penalty. Padilla, excellent throughout the match, could not beat Christian Stuani, who scored the winning goal in the 99th minute to put Girona’s misfortune behind him (2-1). An eventful match, full of intensity and good play in which both teams were aware of their importance. For Míchel’s team, for going six games without winning and only knowing defeat in the Champions League; for Valverde’s man, to continue his streak of six games without losing. But the balance turned in favor of the locals, and Girona’s agony came to an end.
2
Paulo Gazzaniga, Ladislav Krejcí, David López, Miguel Gutiérrez, Arnau Martínez (Juanpe, min. 100), Yáser Asprilla (Alejandro Francés, min. 100), Iván Martín (Gabriel Misehouy, min. 92), Yangel Herrera, Donny van de Beek, Arnaut Danjuma (Bryan Gil, min. 58) and Abel Ruiz (Cristhian Stuani, min. 92)
1
Álex Padilla, Dani Vivian, Aitor Paredes, Óscar De Marcos, Adama Boiro (Yuri Berchiche, min. 77), Oihan Sancet (Unai Gómez, min. 42), Ander Herrera (Beñat Prados, min. 78), Íñigo Ruíz de Galarreta (Mikel Jauregizar, min. 58), Iñaki Williams, Gorka Guruzeta (Álvaro Djaló, min. 58) and Alex Berenguer
Goals
1-0 min. 38: Yáser Asprilla. 1-1 min. 40: O. Sancet. 2-1 min. 98: Stuani
Referee Juan Luis Pulido Santana
Ladislav Krejci (min. 30), Daniel Vivian (min. 46), Gazzaniga (min. 55), David López (min. 56), Yangel Herrera (min. 90), Aitor Paredes (min. 96)
red cards
Aitor Paredes (min. 97)
Girona briefly dominated the beginning with its great possession, although without touching Padilla’s goal. Míchel gestured vehemently with Asprilla’s rushes in his crosses and free kicks. But then the pace of Athletic, well positioned and organized, began to subdue the locals. Girona’s defensive errors were paid dearly, and the release of the ball from behind that characterizes them so much became complicated, creating insecurity when Míchel’s team moved the ball near their area. Gazzaniga made a mistake again with his footwork, passing the ball to a Miguel who was drowned by the rival pressure, which led to the first clear chance for Athletic. But the Argentine goalkeeper had time and game to redeem himself.
Arnau left one foot behind inside the area, making Berenguer’s run impossible, causing him to fall and causing a penalty. The first of many. Gazzaniga stopped him. Then, the arrivals of one, the arrivals of another began, sharing the baton with intensity until the final whistle. Guruzeta and Berenguer tested the Argentine goalkeeper on several occasions, while Danjuma, on the other side, woke up – just when Bryan Gil came out to warm up – and connected with Miguel to finish off a ball that Padilla had to throw away. But the goalkeeper did not wait for the next Gironi attack. Asprilla shot from outside the area, it bounced on the grass and Miguel, after getting unmarked, tricked Padilla by walking in front of the ball without intending to touch it. Perhaps mischievously letting him pass, perhaps believing he was offside. But it worked.
And Athletic could not stand still. Sancet collected a cross from Berenguer to finish diagonally and score the tie. The fervor was short-lived, and Valverde’s top scorer retired injured. The second half descended into chaos. Another penalty for Athletic preceded by a controversial recovery action in which Unai Gómez touched the ball with his hand, but which the referee did not see. Gazzaniga did it again, and stopped it. Not once, but twice after having to repeat it for getting ahead of the launch. He didn’t stop one player, but two others: Iñaki and Herrera, who shot into the center of the goal. The intensity did not stop – the game had to be stopped to attend to a fan in the stands – with both teams looking to get ahead. And when it seemed that the end was coming, another penalty was awarded, but in favor of Girona on this occasion. Padilla, after a great game between the sticks, could not imitate Gazzaniga, and Christian Stuani scored the winning goal. Montilivi fell, and after a month without tasting victory, Girona celebrated three points that are much more than that.
