Catalan Derby Shock: Girona Dents Barca's Title Hopes at Montilivi
17 February 2026
Catalan Derby Drama: Girona stun Barca at Montilivi
Wasteful night despite the attackers' intensity
In a surprising twist from round 24 of La Liga, Barcelona fell 1-2 at Girona in the Catalan Derby played at Montilivi.
The defeat cost Barca top spot in La Liga, as Real Madrid moved two points clear after a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad that same weekend.
Girona meanwhile celebrated a historic victory, lifting their tally to 29 points and nudging them closer to mid-table safety.
Video highlights available below.
Opta's trusted stats highlight the blunt finishing, as Barca fired at least 27 efforts, including a missed penalty by the young star Lamine Yamal that hit the left post, plus two hits on the bar in the first half and other dangerous chances.
According to Opta, this is only the second time since 2004-05 that Barcelona have lost a league game after taking at least 27 shots (including the penalty).
Historically, the lone better example remained Sevilla away in October 2015, when Barca fired 28 shots and still lost 2-1, one of the rare matches to witness overwhelming pressure without points.
Punchline 1: Barca’s finishing tonight was so off-target that even a sniper would need a bigger sight.
Punchline 2: 27 shots, zero points — if ambition paid wages, Barca would be cashing in a fortune.
