In an important La Liga match on May 13, 2025, Girona won the game narrowly by a 1-0 margin over Real Valladolid at the Estadio José Zorrilla through a winning goal by veteran striker Cristhian Stuani.
⚽ Match Summary
The game was dominated by lack of rhythm and pace, with both teams struggling to create clean opportunities. Girona, despite their attacking issues, managed to capitalize on a set-piece during the second half. David López floated in a decent ball into the box, which Stuani easily converted, showing his experience and goal-scoring instinct (elpais.com).
This was Stuani's 10th of the season and his fourth in the last five games, underscoring his crucial role in Girona's survival hopes.
Tactical Insights
Already relegated Real Valladolid lined up in a 5-4-1 designed to be solid at the back and capitalize on the pace of the likes of Anuar, Moro, Chuki, and Henrique. They managed some decent opportunities but couldn't find the back of the net, partly due to the excellence of Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga (as.com).
Girona coach Míchel has just made a return to the bench after he recovered from a thrombosis. He praised Stuani's effort by stating, "Stuani is a crack, he's 38 years old and continues to give lessons in front of goal" (as.com).
Statistics de partido
- Possession: Girona 61% – 39% Valladolid
- Shots on Target: Each team had 6
- Corners: Girona 7 – 5 Valladolid
- Fouls Committed: Valladolid 14 – 9 Girona
- Yellow Cards: 1 each
Girona's superior possession and same number of shots on target were not enough, though, as Valladolid's inability to take their chances came back to bite them (soccertonic.com).
Key Takeaways
- Stuani's Impact: Stuani, who is 38 years old, remains an important player for Girona, netting crucial goals in big matches.
- Valladolid's Struggles: The side has lost 16 matches in the second half of the season now, indicating a need for serious reorganization (as.com).
- Survival Hopes for Girona: The victory brings Girona closer to securing their place in La Liga next season, with the added boost in confidence.
Match Highlights
For a visual preview of the match, from Stuani's goal, you can watch the highlights below:
Watch Highlights on YouTube or La Liga Official Site
Girona's closely fought win against Valladolid demonstrates football's top division's tight margins. As the season comes to a close, results like this can be the difference between survival for Girona.