Barcelona thrash Girona to reclaim three-point lead over Real Madrid
Barcelona are closing in on the title, and they are doing it in style. A 4-1 win over Girona reasserted their lead at the top of La Liga, extending their unbeaten run to 20 matches in all competitions. Hansi Flick’s side have built momentum at the right time, and with a Copa del Rey semi-final on the horizon, the German coach has reason to be optimistic.
Robert Lewandowski was at the heart of it again, scoring twice to take his league tally to 25 goals. “I know a lot of people talk about my age,” he said with a smile, “but I work as hard as I did when I was 21.”
At 36, he continues to defy expectations, and his second goal, a composed finish after a clever pass from Frenkie de Jong, demonstrated the intelligence and sharpness that make him one of the most reliable scorers in the game.Barcelona were dominant from the outset, forcing Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga into several early saves. Their persistence paid off just before half-time when a Lamine Yamal free kick took a deflection off Ladislav Krejci for an own goal. It was a deserved breakthrough, but the visitors struck back after the restart when Arnaut Danjuma curled a shot past Wojciech Szczesny against the run of play.Flick’s side did not panic. They continued to create chances, and just after the hour mark, Fermin Lopez nodded a ball across the box for Lewandowski to acrobatically convert at the far post. From there, Barcelona took full control.Lewandowski’s second goal effectively ended the contest, and Ferran Torres made sure of the points with a late strike into the bottom corner. The win restored Barcelona’s three-point cushion over Real Madrid, who had briefly drawn level at the top of the table after their victory over Leganes.
“What I take from today,” Flick said after the match, “is our ability to react after the break. I am really happy for the win and the dominance we showed.” His players are thriving under his leadership, and confidence is growing.
“We are in great form at the moment,” he added, “and we are creating a lot of chances when we have the ball.” His team’s attacking intent has been relentless, with 139 goals in all competitions this season – a record for a La Liga side at this stage.
Barcelona now turn their focus to the Copa del Rey, where their semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid promises more drama. The first leg finished 4-4, and if recent performances are anything to go by, goals will not be in short supply.
