An unknown Ukrainian goalkeeper stands out in Girona's defeat at the Reale Arena.

GIRONAHaving arrived in Girona in December, Vladyslav Krapyvtsov made his debut in charge at the Reale Arena. The Ukrainian caught the eye with a fantastic performance and several saves, although he couldn't prevent Míchel's side's defeat to Real Sociedad, which came at the hands of a controversial penalty and a goal in stoppage time (3-2). The Girona side had already completed their work, having secured their place in the First Division for the fourth consecutive year, for the first time since their founding, and for the sixth year overall. Another milestone in a period that will be remembered.

Although there's nothing at stake, football always presents new stories. The latest is that of Krapyvtsov. We'll have to keep an eye on his development. He's only nineteen years old, and he didn't have an easy debut: within twenty minutes, he'd already conceded a couple of goals. But not only was he not guilty, he'd already prevented the deficit from getting any bigger. The goalkeeper upset Barrene, Oyarzabal, and, above all, Take Kubo. His repertoire was surprising, putting his hands high, close to the top corner, or low, just squeezing the post.

He also didn't flinch when releasing the ball, playing with composure. Without a doubt, Krapyvtsov exuded personality. Míchel chose him to rest Gazzaniga, and the gamble paid off. To be honest, he'd already made his debut. It was in the Copa Catalunya, in Andorra, about a month ago. The goalkeeper wasn't the only change made by the coach, who made Jhon Solís a starter. The Colombian hadn't been one since September. Cristhian Stuani was retained, and he found the back of the net again. Girona's performance was strong and competitive, extending the momentum that has allowed them to secure survival.

If they lost, it was because Ortiz Arias awarded a penalty, one of those that no one knows why they are awarded, and because they failed to control the result in stoppage time. A minor challenge broke the provisional tie and confirmed the madness of a three-goal start: Marín's, finishing off a corner kick alone; Oyarzabal's, after the aforementioned penalty; and Stuani's, which deserves a separate chapter.

Stuani draws with Vinícius

The presence of Stuani (and Portu, this time as a substitute) has altered the collective behavior for the better. thirst The red-and-white player scored his eleventh goal of the season, taking advantage of an assist from Asprilla, who made good decisions and played a big role, but ended up injured. The Colombian, in fact, was the last Girona player to score since Stuani switched on the scoring switch. It was on April 13th. Since then, Girona's goal has been named after Stuani. We're speaking in the past tense because Portu made it 2-2.

Stuani has scored so many in such a short time that he's even appearing on the list of top scorers this season in the division. In San Sebastián, he caught out Vinícius, whom some pointed out as a favorite in the race for the Ballon d'Or. Perhaps Stuani should have one, then. Girona insisted on seeking an equalizer, and it seemed that Iván Martín would do it, but the night still held a romantic touch: the scorer was Portu, the other main protagonist of the team's survival. But Michel's men fell apart in the 91st minute with a goal from Mariezkurrena.