Stuani separates the waters so that Girona remains in the First Division

GIRONACristhian Stuani is a chosen one. "I don't know if I deserve this much. But today's performance moves me," he said, minutes after the feat, his voice breaking. He couldn't even continue speaking. He had to stop because he was crying. "It's very emotional, very emotional." In Pucela, in Girona's most critical situation in recent times, he separated the waters for the Girona team to remain in the First Division. The victory in Valladolid (0-1) puts permanence in the top flight within reach. It could be mathematically a foregone conclusion in the coming hours, depending on what their direct rivals do.

Before that, it was time to suffer. A quarter of an hour was enough for Girona fans to want to grab their televisions, throw them out the window, and stop watching the apathy of their players. If in the hours leading up to the match, the match had been described as a final and the emphasis was on demonstrating the need and desire to remain in the First Division, it seemed that the one playing for survival was the home team, relegated for weeks and with a total of zero wins and just one point throughout the second half of the season.

Two scares, one from Raúl Moro and the other from Chuki, put the Catalan team's nerves on edge, if they weren't already, unable to understand and manage what's at stake. The movements were slow and absurd; the pressure was invisible. The most expensive signing in history, Yáser Asprilla, signed to make a difference, is indeed one, but in a negative way; At the starting center forward level, Dovbyk's theoretical replacement, Abel Ruiz, isn't even expected.

Catastrophe was looming in Pucela, and no matter what happened this matchday, Girona was certain of staying out of the relegation zone. As the minutes passed, however, the storm abated, and Míchel's team collected chances. It wasn't necessary to play better; the situation brought it about. That's when the home goalkeeper, Hein, came into his own, deflecting the goal a couple of times off Tsygankov. The ball ended up hitting the net thanks to Portu, but the Murcian was clearly offside.

The second half continued in much the same way, with Valladolid controlling the game and the Catalans sealing a point, as a sad consolation. It was encouraging to see Asprilla face the opposing goalkeeper alone. An optical illusion that led to despair when the Colombian kicked the dummy. Instead of his teeth spitting fire, his body language expressed disorientation.

Praying to saints

The critical minutes came on the threshold of the hour, when, just seconds apart, Gazzaniga cleared a shot from Anuar off the crossbar and Quintero González awarded a penalty for a non-existent handball by Francés. Fortunately, justice appeared, in the form of VAR, which denied what had happened. But Girona's image was unsustainable. Suffering as they hadn't in years, praying to whatever saint was on guard for an end to the anxiety. The Girona goalkeeper continued to save, most notably a header from Mario Martín.

And if we're talking about saints, if we're talking about someone to pray to, none better than Cristhian Stuani, who came on limping, looking for the heroics. The Uruguayan did it again, opportunely hunting down the ball that allows us to look at the present with optimism. At the key moment of the season—when they've given him minutes, to be exact—the same old guy appeared. The 38-year-old striker who finished the match defending Girona's penalty area tooth and nail. The player who gives more than his all for the red and white badge.