In the acid test of San Mamés, Girona came out scalded. Not as much as at the Bernabeu the previous day (4-0), but the 3-2 defeat in Bilbao, the third defeat of the season, the second in a row, was another brake on the revelation team, which moves one more point away from the leader, now 6.
Montilivi's team, without efficiency and without fortune, did not know how to take advantage of the white tie in Vallecas to put pressure on them, and they have now gone three games without winning (Real Sociedad, Madrid, Athletic), the worst setback for Míchel's team this season.
San Mamés faced two of the most vertical and offensive teams in the League in a duel for the Champions League, second against fifth (10 points for Girona), and the dizzying, electric start did not disappoint. In the minute and 30 seconds, as a result of the high pressure that Athletic practices, he stole the ball on a throw-in in which Aleix García fell asleep, the ball reached Berenguer on the edge of the area, he feinted to the left and released a left footed shot that sneaked in next to the base of the post.
Montilivi's team needed to shake off the sticky pressure of a boisterous Athletic and rediscover their football that was not seen in Madrid. He had difficulty getting the ball out – without Blind, who was out at the last minute – but the Catalans' transitions continue to be poisonous. In two passes they stand in front of the rival area, as Dovbyk did, combining with Tsygankov, who launched the first warning with a screw shot (m. 9).
Soon the papers were distributed. With the wind in their face, Athletic played to see them coming, well positioned at the back, pressing and looking for the counter; Girona assumed possession, moved looking for the gap, the accurate pass, the superiority and the overflow of Savinho or Tsygankov, who warned again with another high long shot (m. 18).
Girona's errors in getting the ball out, caused by Bilbao's pressure, led to a couple of scares in the arrivals of Iñaki Williams, although the best chance was for Yangel Herrera (m. 34) with a shot wide after a play on the right with assistance from Dovbyk. It was the third warning from Montilivi, despite the difficulties in finding space.
Girona started with one more march in the second half, ready to lift the game after receiving instructions from Míchel. Savinho showed his intentions with a foray down the left with a shot taken by Unai, and in the next play, Iván Martín put in a cross that Tygankov finished off for the goal, with his rod ready inside the area (m. 49).
The match reopened, with the two invertebrate teams and the ball without an owner, high pressure, tension and a game that became tougher at times in a very hot San Mamés. When the duel was at its craziest, Berenguer took advantage of another error in starting the ball to make it 2-1. Miguel lost the ball with a backheel, Guruzeta quickly served it to the center towards Berenguer, who beat Gazzaniga with a low shot.
Not even four minutes had passed since Iñaki Williams' sentence arrived. On a very long ball from Yerai from the defense, Miguel Gutiérrez made a clearance error and on the 9th he took the ball with his chest and hit the base of the post. Unappealable 3-1.
Girona had half an hour to right the wrong, but this Monday was not a day for heroic deeds, although Eric laid the foundations for the miracle with the 3-2 score by heading in a free kick served by Aleix García (m. 76), and Dobvyk in '92, Solís in '94 - Vivian took it from behind the sticks - and Juanpe in '99 had the tie on three very clear occasions, but without luck in the auction.
