Girona will await Barça festively and excitedly on Saturday in Montilivi. Michel’s team was reunited with victory in Las Palmas, after five consecutive defeats on another’s field, and surpasses Xavi’s team by one point while waiting for the Blaugrana to host Valencia this Monday. Qualification for the Champions League is not only very close for the red and white club, but second place in the League is also within reach. The expectations for the next day contrast with the dull meeting in Gran Canaria.

0

Álvaro Vallés, Álex Suárez (Munir, min. 62), Daley Sinkgraven (Sergi Cardona, min. 63), Saul Coco, Mika Mármol, Alberto Moleiro, Marvin Olawale Akinlabi Park, Maximo Perrone (Fabio González, min. 77), Kirian Rodríguez, Javi Muñoz (Benito Ramírez, min. 81) and Sandro (Marc Cardona, min. 62)

2

Gazzaniga, Daley Blind, Miguel Gutierrez, Eric Garcia, David López, Yan Couto (Portu, min. 70), Yangel Herrera (Arnau Martinez, min. 89), Aleix García, Iván Martín (Jhon Solís, min. 89), Sávio (Pablo Torre, min. 79) and Dovbyk (Tsygankov, min. 70)

Goals 0-1 min. 26: David Lopez. 0-2 min. 56: Dovbyk.

Referee Jorge Figueroa Vázquez

Yellow cards Dovbyk (min. 36), Yangel Herrera (min. 39), Mika Mármol (min. 49) and Yan Couto (min. 68)

In the absence of play, the match was resolved with a set piece, with three penalties: UD Las Palmas missed the first and Girona scored the other two, the equalizer after Valles rejected Dovbyk’s initial shot. David López appeared in the rejection to score 0-1 and Dovbyk was right at 0-2, a candidate for top scorer after scoring his 19th goal. Sandro’s error with the score at zero demoralized a Canary Islands team that has lost the thread of his neat and brave play in the last eight League games.

It did no good for UD Las Palmas to run over Girona as soon as the match started. Moleiro’s run behind Eric García after five minutes ended the moment he crossed paths with David López. The forward braked, broke the defender and fell in an action that the referee interpreted as a penalty, a controversial decision that he confirmed after consulting the VAR. Gazzanigga rejected Sandro’s shot from eleven meters and credited the presence of Michel’s team on the field.

Girona barely had the ball, overwhelmed by the pressure of Las Palmas, who were still hurt by Balaídos’ mockery, the scene in which they suffered their fifth consecutive defeat in the League. García Pimienta changed five players and the team went for the game, protagonist in both areas, also in their own area when the referee gave a penalty after a corner due to Kirian grabbing Eric García. Although Valles rejected Dovbyk’s shot, David López finished off the ball to make it 0-1.

Girona played with the nerves of the Sports Union. García Pimienta’s squad has lost competitive tension, and also effectiveness, since he has been playing for a long time with a cushion of points that has ensured his permanence in the League. The rivals hold on and wait for the Canaries to make a mistake, as happened again against Girona. The games and the championship are very long for Las Palmas. The 0-2 was announced in a slow and clear manner with the arrivals of Couto and Dovbyk.

The second goal came when the local team did not know what to do, whether to touch or press, bewildered by the result, by its misfortune and even by a certain disinterest of its fans, increasingly resigned even though they occasionally became irritated with referee Figueroa Vázquez. The referee called a penalty again, and also consulted with the VAR, for a challenge by Mármol on Yan Couto, and Dovbyk closed the game with the 0-2. The Canarian confusion endorsed the superiority of Girona

Michel’s boys had more presence and were more together in a second half dominated by the lack of rhythm and slowness in the game, only altered by individual sparks such as a shot against the crossbar from the always incisive Moleiro and a second from Munir to whom Gazzaniga responded correctly. The round of changes helped pass the time and also invited us to think about next Saturday’s duel: Girona-Barcelona.

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