A storm of controversy has erupted in La Liga following Girona’s late 2-1 victory over FC Barcelona on Monday night (February 16, 2026). The match, which saw the Catalan giants surrender their lead at the top of the table to Real Madrid, was defined by a highly disputed officiating decision just moments before the winning goal.
The moment that sparked outrage in the Barcelona vs Girona match
The turning point occurred in the 86th minute. As Girona pushed for a winner, young talent Claudio Echeverri appeared to clearly stamp on the foot of Barcelona defender Jules Koundé while advancing with the ball.
#GironaBarça los árbitros manipulan la liga como quieren, gol que debió ser anulado que ya sabemos a quién beneficia y a quien perjudica pic.twitter.com/5hSR3swcFo
— @scotta43 (@scotta434441) February 16, 2026
- The Incident: Koundé fell to the ground in pain, but the referee, Soto Grado, allowed play to continue.
- The Goal: Unaffected by the protest, Echeverri continued the attack, leading to Fran Beltrán rifling home a powerful strike from the edge of the box to make it 2-1.
- VAR Silence: Despite a brief review, the VAR officials deemed the contact “part of the game,” much to the disbelief of Hansi Flick and his players.
A Night of Frustration for Hansi Flick
The defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for the Blaugrana, who dominated large portions of the match:
- Missed Opportunities: Lamine Yamal had a night to forget, missing a crucial penalty in the 45th minute that could have changed the match’s trajectory.
- The Scoreline: Pau Cubarsí had initially put Barcelona ahead in the 59th minute, but his goal was cancelled out just three minutes later by Thomas Lemar.
- Post-Match Rage: Following the final whistle, Hansi Flick and Raphinha were seen in a heated confrontation with the officiating crew, citing a “double standard” in how VAR is applied against Barcelona.
La Liga standings after Barcelona’s stumble against Girona
| Pos | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Real Madrid | 60 |
| 2 | FC Barcelona | 58 |
| 3 | Villarreal | 45 |
| 4 | Atletico Madrid | 45 |
| 5 | Real Betis | 41 |
| 6 | Espanyol | 35 |
| 7 | Celta Vigo | 34 |
| 8 | Real Sociedad | 31 |
| 9 | Athletic Bilbao | 31 |
| 10 | Osasuna | 30 |
| 11 | Getafe | 29 |
| 12 | Girona | 29 |
| 13 | Sevilla | 26 |
| 14 | Deportivo Alaves | 26 |
| 15 | Valencia | 26 |
| 16 | Elche | 25 |
| 17 | Rayo Vallecano | 25 |
| 18 | Real Mallorca | 24 |
| 19 | Levante | 18 |
| 20 | Real Oviedo | 16 |
Expert Analysis: Was it a Foul?
Spanish refereeing experts remain divided. While some believe Echeverri’s contact was accidental and unintentional, the majority of Catalan media outlets, including Mundo Deportivo, described the decision as a “technical robbery,” pointing out that such fouls are usually given in midfield.
Do you believe VAR made the right call in allowing the goal to stand, or has Barcelona been unfairly treated in the race for the title?
