Girona, currently sitting in second place, had hoped to narrow the six-point gap between them and leaders Real Madrid. However, their defeat against Athletic Bilbao has left them reeling. Michel Sanchez’s side now holds a slim two-point lead over reigning champions Barcelona, who are in third place. The pressure is mounting as the title race heats up.
Girona entered the match still recovering from a heavy 4-0 defeat by Real Madrid in their previous outing. Their usual zip was missing, and they struggled to find their rhythm. Despite pulling level early in the second half through Viktor Tsygankov’s goal, they couldn’t maintain the momentum for too long
Athletic’s Alex Berenguer was the hero of the night. His first goal came after intercepting a wayward pass from Girona playmaker Aleix Garcia, slotting home inside the near post. His second followed another Girona mistake, as Miguel Gutierrez dallied on the ball and was dispossessed by Gorka Guruzeta. Berenguer capitalized on the opportunity to put Athletic ahead once again.
Girona’s defense was caught off guard as Inaki Williams netted Athletic’s third goal. However, Eric Garcia’s late header from Aleix Garcia’s cross gave Girona a glimmer of hope. They almost salvaged a point in stoppage time, but Athletic defender Dani Vivian’s brilliant goal-line clearance denied them
“Of course we’re going to dream about the Champions League,” Williams said. “We’re taking it step by step, as we’ve been quietly saying. We’re working and pushing ourselves to the max so that the success makes the noise.”
With fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao chasing a Champions League spot, every point matters. Girona’s loss puts them under immense pressure to maintain their position in the top four. The race for European qualification is fierce, and any slip-up could prove costly.