Barcelona Lose 1-2 to Girona, Ceding La Liga Summit to Real Madrid

Key Takeaways:

• Barcelona lost 1:2 to Girona, marking a second consecutive disappointment after their recent Copa del Rey heavy loss to Atletico Madrid
• For the first time in two and a half months, Barcelona dropped behind Real Madrid in La Liga
• The defeat included Barcelona’s first La Liga loss of the season after leading

Match Overview

Barcelona’s woes deepened last night as they succumbed to a 1:2 defeat against Girona in the Catalan derby at Montilivi. This loss came just days after their humbling exit at the hands of Atletico Madrid in the cup, extending a period of poor form for Hansi Flick’s side. As a result, the reigning champions relinquished their position at the top of La Liga to Real Madrid, who now stand first after both clubs have played an equal number of matches.

The performance was marred by disjointed play and defensive lapses from the Blaugrana players, giving Girona ample opportunities. In spite of pressing from the start and creating chances, the visitors struggled with efficiency in key moments, setting the tone for a frustrating night.

❤️‍🔥 VICTÒRIIIAAAAAA D’ORGULL GIRONÍ! pic.twitter.com/cYq9VdhyEb

— Girona FC (@GironaFC) February 16, 2026

First Half: Missed Opportunities and Penalty Frustration

Barcelona threatened early, with Lamine Yamal testing Girona’s defence in the sixth minute, but sending his attempt off target. Raphinha, making his return from injury, also posed a threat but narrowly missed the target in the 17th minute. Yamal was wasteful again shortly after, failing to beat the goalkeeper one-on-one. Ferran Torres, who started ahead of Robert Lewandowski, also missed out following a suspected offside situation, as did Raphinha later in the half.

Despite frequent Barcelona attacks, Girona remained dangerous on the counter, though repeatedly caught offside. Vítor Reis nearly produced a spectacular solo goal for the hosts in the 41st minute before being brought down just outside the area. Raphinha struck the post for Barcelona in the 43rd minute, setting up a dramatic close to the half.

In stoppage time, Dani Olmo was awarded a penalty after being fouled by Blind, but Yamal struck the post with his effort, leaving the sides level at the interval.

Second Half: Fluctuating Fortunes and Late Drama

The balanced contest continued into the second half. Barcelona finally broke the deadlock in the 59th minute through Pau Cubarsí, who netted the club’s 100th goal of the season across all competitions. However, Cubarsí’s joy was short-lived, as he quickly made a critical error at the back, allowing Thomas Lemar to equalise for Girona with an easy finish in the 62nd minute.

Girona, buoyed by their leveller, nearly took the lead on several occasions. Joan Garcia came to Barcelona’s rescue, crucially denying Joel Roca’s header in the 68th minute and thwarting further chances from the substitute in the 72nd and 75th minutes. Yamal almost restored Barcelona’s advantage with a diagonal shot in the 82nd minute, but it was the hosts who found the decisive goal: Fran Beltran struck in the 87th minute after a contentious attack where Echeverri visibly stepped on Jules Koundé, an incident referee Soto Grado did not review, drawing protests from Barcelona players.

Closing Stages: Controversy and Red Card

Barcelona desperately searched for an equaliser in added time. Ronald Araújo was close to making it 2:2, while Lewandowski had a goal chalked off for offside. Tensions boiled over deep into stoppage time when Joel Roca, following an otherwise promising cameo, was sent off with a straight red card for a reckless foul on Yamal. However, the reduced numbers were of little benefit to Barça, with too little time left to salvage a result, consigning Flick’s side to another demoralising defeat.