Yamal does not take a penalty and the fact that he does not do that changes the whole night of Barcelona against Girona. The failure of the spot-kick on the part of the young winger was crucial since Barcelona lost 2-1. It was a blow against her instead of a statement win.
Barcelo began on purpose. They kept the ball under control and high press. Opportunities were received, but not calm. At the moment when the penalty was granted, it was expected. Yamal braced himself up. The miss stunned the team. Girona increased in faith at once.
This Yamal miss was a summation of the troubles that Barcelona has been going through. The margins are tight. Misplaced costly mistakes are made. The victory would have seen Barcelona topping Real Madrid on the table. Rather, they are ranked second, two points behind.
This loss also raises alarm over head coach Hansi Flick. Just a few days ago, his team lost 4-0 to Atletiko Madrid in the Copa del Rey. The weak has been exposed with two heavy blows within a week.
In a bigger perspective, it is not only the miss. Barcelo is indeficient in composure. Major responsibility is being borne by young players. When the pressure increases, experience is lacking. On the defensive side, they are weak on transitioning fast.
Girona was clever with football. They stayed organized. They waited for mistakes. Whenever opportunities came, they seized them. It is because of that efficiency.
To Yamal, this was a learning experience. Penalties define matches. Such moments usually determine the titles. Barcelo now needs to take a fast action. Otherwise, this Yamal miss episode may be the moment when their title battle was actually lost.
