Another barrier broken. Another exhibition. Another week at the top of the League. Another trip to the new dimension announced by Míchel, who directed the spectacular win over Sevilla (5-1), transformed into an exciting team. He adds 52 points, a record in the history of the club, destroying the brand of Pablo Machín’s Girona (2017-18), and has scored 51 goals, being the top scorer ahead of Madrid (43), with one game less, Barça (40), Atlético (39) and Athletic (38).
And in Montilivi he lives Artem Dovbyk, the League’s top scorer with 14 goals. A player scandal. A monstrous forward who scored three goals in six minutes and 33 seconds. The second best record in the League, only surpassed by Luis Suárez, the Granada striker, who scored three goals in five minutes.
In Montilivi, the scandal is that gigantic Ukrainian, who ridiculed Sergio Ramos and, incidentally, to the entire Sevilla defense, a team that took the lead on the scoreboard. What naivety because that awakened Míchel’s vertical and poisonous Girona, the most fun team to watch in Spain. And, perhaps, in Europe.
Savinho, a demon
The Andalusian team put pressure on, and rightly so, as soon as the duel started, encouraged by the 0-1 scoreline, without knowing that their downfall would later be there. He went up to intimidate Girona, leaving a large estate behind him. An idyllic panorama for Savinho, that devilish winger who rides happily through the Montilivi meadow with electric dribbles taking advantage of Miguel’s tactical intelligence.
The winger left – sorry for using that definition –, the interior left, steering towards the center dragging Jesús Navas into that swamp and leaving Nianzu, a young Frenchman, alone, exposed to the chaos. It was one against one with Savinho. In other words, the Sevilla defender was invited to ruin.
Candy for Dovbyk: three goals in 6 minutes
And it was ruined, while Dovbyk took advantage of the candy that was coming to him. The first shot was from Savinho: 1-1. The second came from Portu, who extended Savinho’s previous pass: 2-1. And the third candy bears the signature in Yan Couto’s statistics: 3-1. But he wasn’t having any of that because it was a pass into the open field for Dovbyk to fight with Ramos. The fight was a metaphor.
He ate the Ukrainian nine to the Andalusian. Like Girona against Sevilla, who overcame Isaac Romero’s goal in a flash. Not even 20 minutes and three goals from Girona that drove Montilivi crazy, enjoying a spectacular night, with that modern, collective and, above all, beautiful game.
In the box, and next to Quique Cárcel, the ideologist of this beautiful work that moves Spanish and European football, was sitting Txiki Begiristain, the sporting director of Manchester City. Both attending the new exhibition of Míchel’s team, which produces so much football that the goals are falling. Three to Rayo in the Cup before reaching the initial half hour of play. And another three against Sevilla just before the 20th minute.
Ode to football
Nobody scores as much as Girona. Nor does he have so many shortcuts to reach the goal. The hour mark had not yet been reached and not only had Dovbyk’s three been celebrated, but Portu hit the crossbar after a superb play and Yangel Herrera, already in the second half, headed at Dmitrovic’s right post, before Savinho will tear Nianzou again to assist Tsygankov, the other Ukrainian who wanted to join the party his friend Artem threw.
Quique, the Sevilla coach, never decoded what Girona asked him, whose mobility disorients anyone. He did not free the French defender from that ordeal, while the kicks (Ramos and Hanníbal) dominated the game, a victim of Andalusian impotence.
In Montilivi each match becomes an ode to football. It is normal. There lives the leader of the League (52 points, one more than Madrid, which has one game less), the top scorer (51 goals) and has the top scorer of the championship: Dovbyk, with his three goals, now has 14, the same as Bellingham, the Madrid star.
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And Montilivi said goodbye to the night by waving to say goodbye to the heroes (Dovbyk and Savinho) when Míchel decided to give them a rest in the final minutes, already thinking about the Cup because Mallorca awaits him on Wednesday. If he defeats him, he would be in the semifinals, territory he has never tread.
He also didn’t spend that long at the top of the League. They said I would have vertigo. Vertigo of what? You’re welcome because Stuani’s fifth and beautiful goal was still missing after a superb pass from Pablo Torre to Miguel, a winger, midfielder, interior, winger… Girona plays football like angels.
The Girona-Sevilla record (5-1)
Girona: Gazzaniga, Yan Couto, Juanpe (Antal, d. 29), Blind, Miguel, Ivan Martín, Yangel Herrera (Solís, d. 65), Portu, Tsygankov (Valery, d. 65), Savinho (Pablo Torre, d. 73 ) and Dovbyk (Stuani, d. 73).
Coach: Michel
Seville: Dmitrovic, Nianzou, Ramos, Badé (Marcao, m. 46), Navas, Pedrosa, Jordán, Sow (Agoumé, m. 77), Suso (Hanníbal, m. 62), Ocampos (Mariano Díaz, m. 77) and Isaac Romero (Lamela, m. 62).
Coach: Quique.
Goals: 0-1, Isaac Romero (m. 10); 1-1, Dovbyk (m. 13); 2-1, Dovbyk (m. 15); 3-1, Dovbyk (m. 19); 4-1, Tsygankov (d. 56); 5-1, Stuani (m. 89)
Referee: González Fuertes, Asturian.
Yellow cards: Sow (d. 61); Hannibal (d. 63);