MADRID, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The 16th round of the 2023-24 Spanish Primera Liga season continued on the 10th. In a key match, Barcelona lost 4-2 at home to Girona, who then moved to the top of the league table.
Barcelona will face Girona, who have performed brilliantly this season, at the Stadio Olimpico in this round. Although Robert Lewandowski and Ilkay Gundogan scored one goal each for the home side, the better visitors scored four goals in the game and comfortably took all three points. The win also puts Girona at the top of the La Liga standings with 41 points from 13 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss, two points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid. Barcelona is fourth with 10 wins, 4 draws and 2 losses with 34 points.
Just 12 minutes into the game, Girona opened up when Dovbek seized a fast-track opportunity to smash a shot from the centre of the box that bounced into the inside of the left post and into the net. In the 19th minute, Barcelona returned the color with a corner kick, and Lewandowski's header from the edge of the small penalty area broke the net to equalize the score. Before half-time, Girona again put the score on top. In the 40th minute, Miguel Gutierrez burst into the penalty area with the ball and suddenly fired a cold shot, and the ball grazed the left post and went into the net.
Girona extended their lead in the 80th minute when Valeri Fernandes capitalised on a mistake by Jules Kounde to shake off the angle and fired a low shot into the net from the middle of the box to make it 3-1 for the visitors. Barcelona closed the gap in stoppage time, and in the 92nd minute, Gundogan received Ferran Torres's cross from the right and turned and shot from inside the box. However, in the 95th minute, the home team's defense made another mistake when the unmarked Stuani received a pass from Savio and cushioned the ball into the near corner from close range in front of goal, also sealing a 4-2 victory for Girona.
In the other matches of the day, Atletico Madrid beat Almeria 2-1 at home and Cadiz drew 1-1 at home to Osasuna. The match between Granada and Athletic Bilbao was suspended due to the death of a heart attack by a fan at the scene, and the unfinished match will continue on the 11th. (ENDS).