Barcelona fire another blank at Camp Nou as they are held at home by Girona just five days after being thrashed 4-0 by Real Madrid…
- Barcelona drew a clean sheet at the Camp Nou days after a 4-0 thrashing by Real Madrid
- For the second time this season, the hosts failed to score at home in the league
- Striker Robert Lewandowski saw his back heel disappear from the line in stoppage time
Barcelona failed to score at home in the league for the second time this season, but are still 13 points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
Impressive Catalan minnows Girona came into play after keeping only one clean sheet all season, but they resisted everything Barça threw at them and more than deserved their point.
For Xavi’s team, the goal of winning the league is just a little closer: they take a point over Real Madrid, who were beaten by Villarreal on Saturday.
But there is a sense that the season is fading, as is Robert Lewandowski’s form.
The Polish striker had a chance six minutes into stoppage time, but his heel was taken off the line and so he’s stuck on 17 league goals for the season – it’s a healthy return, but only four of those have been made since the World Cup.
Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski saw his back heel lifted off the line in stoppage time
Barcelona failed to score at home in the league for the second time this season
Ansu Fati had no serious chance on goal before being substituted in the second half
Ansu Fati’s form will also worry Xavi.
The 20-year-old has said he wants to stay at the club and got his 11th start of the season but was not given a serious chance on goal.
He did play the pass of the night at the end of the first half to put Raphinha behind, but his shot was well saved by Paulo Gazzaniga.
The Girona goalkeeper made an even better stop in the second half when Gavi’s header appeared to go under the crossbar and he flipped acrobatically.
Girona also had opportunities.
Midway through the second half the best came but when Taty Castellanos shot clean he shot wide and Victor Tsygankov furious to the right that he hadn’t gotten the pass for what would have been an easy tap.
The Argentine striker was taken off almost immediately, but his replacement Cristhian Stuani was able to repeat the feat from his last appearance at the Camp Nou: scoring in a 2-2 draw.
However, they took another point from Camp Nou and are now eight points clear of the drop zone.
Girona players celebrate at the final whistle after claiming a precious point at the Nou Camp
They will stay up and Barcelona will win the league – this result does not change those two destinies.
But it was definitely Girona that celebrated at the final whistle and not Barcelona.
“We just want to win the league as soon as possible,” said Sergio Busquets at the final whistle.
“We struggled to create chances tonight and when we did we couldn’t finish them.”
However, the 13-point lead over Real Madrid will be a consolation.