In a dramatic night at the Montilivi stadium, FC Barcelona suffered a painful defeat against their Catalan neighbors Girona on Monday evening, in the 24th round of the 2026 Spanish League season. This defeat was not just a loss of three points, but a severe blow to the Blaugrana's ambitions to maintain their position at the top of the standings.

Details of the goals in the Catalan derby

The match was fiercely contested and exciting, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats until the final whistle. After a tactical first half, the second half was a much more intense affair. Girona managed to open the scoring in the 59th minute, capitalizing on a fatal defensive lapse and a mistake by Barcelona's young defender, Pau Coparci, giving the home side the lead and igniting the passion of the fans in the stands.

Barcelona's response was swift, as the team displayed remarkable character and quickly equalized. In the 61st minute, Thomas Lemar scored the equalizer for the visitors, bringing the game back to square one and reviving the hopes of Barça fans for a positive result.

As the match seemed destined for a draw, Girona stunned everyone with a last-gasp winner. Ferran Beltrán scored the decisive goal for Girona in the 86th minute, sealing the victory for the home side and leaving Barcelona players stunned.

A radical change in the battle for the top spot

This result cast a heavy shadow on the Spanish league standings, as the loss led to a change in the balance of power:

• Real Madrid pounces on the lead: The traditional rival Real Madrid took advantage of Barcelona's stumble, to take sole possession of the top spot in La Liga with 60 points.
• Barcelona's decline: The Catalan club's tally remains frozen at 58 points, dropping to second place, two points behind Real Madrid, thus increasing the pressure on the team in the upcoming rounds to regain the top spot.
• Girona's leap: In contrast, Girona raised its tally to 29 points, jumping to twelfth place, moving away from the danger zones and confirming its ability to embarrass the big teams on its home ground.

The importance of the match and its impact on the season

This match takes on special significance as it comes at a crucial stage of the season. The defeat at Montilivi serves as a reminder of the difficulty of away matches in La Liga, especially local derbies, which defy all preconceived notions. Losing the top spot in matchday 24 means the title race will intensify between the two Spanish giants, leaving neither side with any room for error.

From a technical standpoint, Barcelona's coaching staff will have to address individual defensive errors, such as the one made by Pau Coparsi, to ensure that the scenario of losing easy points, which could ultimately be crucial in determining the league champion for 2026, is not repeated.

Italian Simone Inzaghi, the head coach of Al-Hilal's first football team, expressed his great happiness with the valuable victory achieved by his team against Al-Wahda, with a score of two goals to one, in the strong match that brought the two teams together as part of the eighth round of the group stage of the AFC Champions League.

In a press conference following the match, Inzaghi highlighted the numerous technical gains Al-Hilal made from the encounter, particularly praising the young players who were given the opportunity to participate. Inzaghi said, “We saw Murad, Darci, Buabri, and Mete; they made a good and tangible contribution to the team, which confirms the depth of our squad. We also saw Mendesh in the second half, who provided a brilliant assist for Darwin Nunez, which led to our important goal.”.

The Italian coach addressed the technical and physical differences, explaining: “There is a natural and realistic difference between the pace of training and the pressure of official matches. The players must continue to work hard to deliver outstanding performances in upcoming fixtures, as the season is still long and the challenges continue.” He added, describing the atmosphere in the locker room: “My relationship with the players is excellent. Everyone here at Al-Hilal is united, working together as a family to achieve the club’s goals.”.

In a related context, Inzaghi put an end to the rumors circulating about the future of the Uruguayan striker, concluding his remarks in a decisive tone: “Darwin Nunez is continuing with Al-Hilal as normal, and the idea of ​​his departure is not up for discussion at all, and I have blind confidence in his continuation and his ability to provide the desired addition to the team.”.

This statement comes at a crucial time in the season, as Al-Hilal seeks to assert its continental dominance in the new edition of the AFC Champions League. This tournament holds paramount importance for Saudi clubs, especially given the significant support and international signings they have recently made. Maintaining technical and administrative stability, and retaining star players like Núñez, is a cornerstone of Al-Hilal's project to compete for all domestic and continental titles, particularly as the team is historically known as the leader of Asian football and the most decorated club in the competition's history.

The confirmation of Núñez's continued presence sends a reassuring message to Al-Hilal fans, who are counting heavily on the team's attacking prowess to secure victories in the upcoming knockout matches. Furthermore, the integration of young talent with international experience reflects Inzaghi's tactical vision of building a team capable of remaining at the top for years to come, capitalizing on the significant momentum in Saudi Arabian sports and the rising level of competition in the Roshan League and the AFC Champions League.

In a dramatic night of thrilling twists and turns, Iraqi side Al-Shorta secured a hard-fought and well-deserved 3-2 victory over Qatari visitors Al-Duhail in the final match of the AFC Champions League group stage (West Zone). This win was more than just three points for Al-Shorta; it dealt a significant blow to Al-Duhail's ambitions, forcing them into a complex battle to secure a place in the Round of 16.

Details of the exciting encounter

The match began at a fast pace, with Al-Duhail launching an early attack. Polish striker Krzysztof Piatek opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a spectacular bicycle kick, a goal confirmed by the referee after a VAR review. However, the home side's response was swift, with Bassam Shaker equalizing for Al-Shorta in the 19th minute with a well-placed left-footed shot that found the back of the net.

Before the halftime whistle, Al-Duhail regained their lead through a penalty expertly converted by Benjamin Bourigeaud, leading everyone to believe the Qatari team was on its way to victory. However, the second half brought a stunning upset, as Al-Shorta of Iraq, led by their Senegalese star Boli Sambo, staged a remarkable comeback. Within just two minutes, Sambo turned the tables on the visitors. He unleashed a powerful shot in the 57th minute that goalkeeper Salah Zakaria couldn't stop, before returning a minute later to score the decisive winning goal, capitalizing on a perfectly placed cross from his teammate Hussein Ali.

The teams' positions and qualification scenarios

With this result, Al-Duhail's points tally remains at 8, dropping them to seventh place and placing them under immense pressure as they await the remaining results of the round to determine their fate in the tournament, since only the top eight clubs from the West Zone qualify for the Round of 16. Meanwhile, Al-Shorta of Iraq raised their points to 5, securing eleventh place and achieving their first league victory – a win that carries significant morale for the team and its fans despite their precarious position in the competition.

The new tournament system and the road to Saudi Arabia

This edition of the AFC Champions League is particularly significant as it is the first to be held under the new league format (Swiss system), where each team plays eight matches. The Round of 16 matches are scheduled for March 2026, while all eyes will be on Saudi Arabia, which will host the final stages (quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final) in a centralized format during April 2026, further intensifying the competition among Asian clubs vying for the most prestigious continental title.