Feb 17, 2026 (V7N) - Spanish champions Barcelona suffered a damaging 2-1 defeat at Girona on Monday, leaving them two points behind Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. Despite taking the lead through Pau Cubarsi, Barcelona could not hold on as Girona mounted a second-half comeback, with goals from Thomas Lemar and Fran Beltran sealing the victory for the hosts.

Girona, who are 12th in the table, capitalized on Barcelona’s defensive lapses and missed opportunities. Barcelona were still recovering from a heavy 4-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final, and this loss only compounded their woes.

"In the end, Girona deserved it, they had a lot of chances, we defended very badly," admitted Barcelona’s manager, Hansi Flick. "We are not in a good mood, not in a good moment. I gave the team two days off because I think it’s important they reset. There’s a long way to go, we’re now in second place, now we have to fight for first."

The match had an open, attacking first half, with both teams having chances. Raphinha narrowly missed a shot, and Barcelona’s teenage star Lamine Yamal fired a penalty against the post. At the other end, Girona’s Ukrainian striker Vladyslav Vanat missed several good chances.

The breakthrough came in the 59th minute when Pau Cubarsi headed home a cross from Jules Kounde to give Barcelona the lead. However, Girona responded quickly, with Lemar scoring after a well-placed pass from Vanat. Barcelona’s goalkeeper Joan Garcia made a series of incredible saves to keep his team in the game.

The match was decided late on when Fran Beltran scored in the 87th minute, much to the frustration of Barcelona. They felt Kounde had been fouled in the build-up, but the referee did not intervene. "It seemed like a foul (on Kounde), but we shouldn't focus on decisions we can't control," said Barcelona defender Gerard Martin.

Despite a late red card for Girona's Joel Roca, the hosts held on to secure a famous win, and Girona coach Michel Sanchez was ecstatic with the result. "Three points against Barca are more than three points," he said. "Normally, they beat almost all teams."

END/WSP/RH