Girona stuns Barcelona with 4-2 victory in 2023 La Liga, taking top spot

(MENAFN) In a surprising turn of events in the 2023 season of the Spanish La Liga, Girona emerged as strong contenders by defeating Barcelona 4-2 in a week 16 match on Sunday.

The lead for Girona was established by Ukrainian forward Artem Dovbyk, who scored with a left-footed shot to the bottom left corner in the 12th minute at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Barcelona's veteran Polish striker Robert Lewandowski responded by equalizing with a header to the bottom corner in the 19th minute.

Miguel Gutierrez, the Spanish full-back for Girona, then reinstated the lead with a left-footed shot to the top corner in the 40th minute. Valery Fernandez, another full-back for Girona, dealt another blow to Barcelona with a well-executed finish to the bottom corner, making it 3-1 in the 80th minute.

While Barcelona's veteran German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan managed to pull one back for the hosts in the 92nd minute, Girona's Uruguayan veteran attacker Cristhian Stuani responded just three minutes later.

With this victory, Girona claimed the top spot in La Liga with 41 points, surpassing Real Madrid, which gained only one point in a 1-1 draw with Real Betis, reaching a total of 39 points. Barcelona experienced a setback in their title pursuit, securing the fourth position with 34 points.

The upcoming match between Rayo Vallecano and Celta on Monday adds to the unfolding drama of the La Liga season.

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