FC Barcelona 0-0 Girona: One point closer

Barça were held to a 0-0 draw the Catalan derby on Easter Monday, but although these could be seen as two points dropped, following Real Madrid’s loss on Saturday their Liga position is now better than ever.

They went into the weekend 12 points clear at the top and the difference has now been extended to 13.

And they have also added yet another clean sheet to the simply extraordinary defensive record this season. After 28 games, Barça have only conceded nine times. Less than one goal every four games!

Tight battle

We had a fascinating contest on our hands between two teams that play lively, entertaining football. Although the game didn’t produce any goals, there was no shortage of goalmouth action.

Girona are still in need of every point they can get to make sure of their place in La Liga next season. And they attacked the game with the greatest urgency, producing a number of early threats.

Barça took longer to get into the game, but once they had, they were generally the side on top.

So close!

The Liga leaders very nearly took the lead in the most bizarre of manners when Paulo Gazzaniga raced to the rescue of Santi Bueno, who very nearly passed the ball back into an empty net.

The Girona goalie was keeping his side in the game, what with a fine save to deny Raphinha and then getting a hand to a Ronald Araujo header in the nick of time. It originally looked like the ball was in, but goal-line technology proved that it hadn’t quite made it over the line.

The second half was even more about Barça. Practically all of the big plays were deep inside the Girona half, although the closest of all was at the other end.

The visitors really should have been a goal to the good when Valentín Castellanos was through one-on-one against Ter Stegen. His misfire let Barça off the hook.

Girona had never beaten Barça in the league before and although there were moments when they might have sensed that this might be their chance. But as the game drew to a close, they seemed to have cast such ambitions aside and were more intent on securing a point and their first clean sheet away from home of the season.

Late chances

That they did, but not without a series of moments when Barça came agonisingly close to nabbing a late winner.

David Lopez turned Jordi Alba’s effort over the bar. Gazzaniga produced a spectacular save to frustrate Gavi. And Robert Lewandowski very nearly clinched it with a cheeky back-heel right at the end.

No score but a thoroughly entertaining win. And no win, but the situation in La Liga is now better than ever. Ten games to go. Thirteen points ahead. Surely now it’s just a matter of time…

Next up it’s Getafe away in a Sunday 4.15pm CEST kick-off.