Late Referee Drama: Girona Triumphs 2-1 Over Barcelona in Catalan Derby

What happened in the match

Etoraldi Gonzalez, a refereeing expert for AS and Cadena SER, dropped a startling revelation about the officiating in the Catalan derby between Barcelona and Girona, played Monday night in the 24th round of the 2025-26 La Liga season.

AS reported that the first controversy arrived in stoppage time of the first half when Dani Olmo controlled the ball inside the box and, maneuvering around Dutch defender Daley Blind, was knocked to the ground. The referee pointed to the spot, awarding a penalty to Barcelona.

Lamin Yamal stepped up to take it, but his effort hit the left post, denying Barca a halftime lead.

According to Gonzalez, the decision to award the penalty was clear-cut, and the contact was a foul. He said: “it was a clear penalty, he trampled him and sent him down. You can see Girona’s player with his hands on his face in frustration.”

Gonzalez also highlighted the possibility of a retake because several players had advanced into the box before the kick, a violation that VAR should flag; if penalties can be retaken for goalkeeper movement, it stands to reason the same should apply for encroachment.

Late drama and the decisive goal

The drama continued in the 87th minute when Claudio Echeverri attempted to win the ball from Jules Koundé and ended up trampling the French defender’s foot; play carried on, and Girona then fed Fran Beltrán, who scored to restore the lead at 2-1.

Gonzalez argued that the earlier challenge on Koundé was a clear foul and should have canceled the goal, and that Echeverri deserved a yellow card for the reckless contact.

The final whistle confirmed a 2-1 Girona victory at Montilivi, a result that shuffled the title picture. Real Madrid remained on top with 60 points, while Barcelona sat on 58. Girona climbed to 29 points, moving up to 12th in the table.

Impact and takeaway

The win gives Girona fresh momentum and adds another twist to a La Liga season already full of drama. For Barcelona, it’s a reminder that in a derby, every decision carries weight and that sometimes the ball bounces in surprising ways. If you’re keeping score, this match showed that referee decisions can matter as much as players’ skill.

Punchline time: If VAR had a sense of humor, it would say “check again” to everything—and yes, even to my own life decisions. And if the referee’s whistle could talk, it would mutter: “Next time, maybe try not to win the derby on a debate.”