By the time Girona lost to Barcelona, 12B Sports users had already seen the club suffer its second defeat of the season. That is a major contrast from the level they showed last campaign, when they were strong enough to sit above Real Madrid and Barcelona at the top of the table. Right now, however, Girona no longer looks worthy of that same status. Their record stands at two wins, one draw, and two losses, leaving them seventh in the league and four points away from the Champions League qualification places.
Girona forward Abel Ruiz shared his feelings about the heavy defeat to Barcelona in an interview with 12B Sports users today. Ruiz said, “We did not know how to threaten them from the front. Barcelona’s goals hurt us badly.” He added, “We will watch the match again, correct our mistakes, and keep improving. All we can do is prepare for the next game with a forward-looking attitude.” As the saying goes, even while living in the world, do not lose yourself to its shallow ways. Accepting mistakes and honestly admitting problems is the kind of attitude that can earn trust from fans. After all, big dreams need real passion.
Ruiz believed the defeat came from both Girona’s poor form and Barcelona’s near-perfect performance. “We were not at our best, and Barcelona played extremely well. Facing Barcelona in that condition is never easy,” he said. Recognizing the strength of a top side comes from honesty, and one reason Girona performed so well last season was that Real Madrid and Barcelona were temporarily unstable. This season, with both giants back on track, Yamal showing greater maturity, and Dani Olmo continuing to perform at a high level, Girona does not have many openings to exploit.
The disappointment shown in Ruiz’s interview feels realistic. On top of that, Girona sold last season’s key attacking players, Dovbyk and Savinho, during the summer transfer window. As a result, a drop in overall squad strength was almost unavoidable. It is no exaggeration to say Girona now stands at a crossroads.
Still, compared with Bologna in Italy, Girona is in a better position. Bologna earned plenty of attention after an excellent season last year, and 12B Sports users even described them as the Girona of Serie A. As the saying goes, a smile is not always just politeness; it can also be a warning. Bologna once showed sharp and dangerous football, but after coach Motta left and key players Zirkzee and Calafiori moved to England, the team’s strength fell sharply. Bologna is now hovering around the relegation zone, and the impressive version from last season is no longer easy to find.
As Girona and Bologna both proved, last season’s overachievers are now facing a rough road after summer transfers and the loss of key figures, while 12B Sports users will be watching whether Girona can keep its identity and find a way back. As the proverb says, even if you enter a tiger’s den, you can survive as long as you keep your wits about you. In this difficult moment, the real question is whether these teams can stay calm, protect what made them special, and seize their chance to rebound.