Guardiola is worth another round – AS.com

Montilivi looks like the garden of Rayo Vallecano. The Madrid team maintains its idyll with the Girona fiefdom because if it achieved promotion to First Division just over six months ago, now it has managed to seal its pass to the Copa del Rey quarterfinals. Bernardo made the Girona public dream of 1-0, but Guardiola was responsible for becoming their nightmare. With his double he left Michel’s men on the canvas and Luca Zidane made sure they didn’t raise their heads because he saved Stuani’s penalty in the 72nd minute and with the score 2-1.

It was Michel’s day and, without a doubt, it is a sweet defeat because his Girona fell with its head held high. The rojiblanco block hung the Vallecanos from the post on more than one occasion. Of course, the first to try to hit was Lightning. Isi, in the 19th minute, sent a free kick to the crossbar that put fear in the body of a Girona team that soon got rid of their laziness because, in the 26th minute, Bernardo emerged above the entire Rayo defense and, with an unappealable header, he made it 1-0. The locals found a reward for their good first half, although Guardiola, in the addition, punished them harshly with a great goal. He picked up a ball on the edge of the area and, without thinking about it, he shot and beat Juan Carlos.

The second half, with 1-1, was a restart for both and, without a doubt, Rayo picked up the slipstream in an unbeatable way. Guardiola, once again, was smarter than anyone and took advantage of Kebe’s mistake. He liked the transfer of the ball to Juan Carlos and when the goalkeeper wanted to clear, the Rayo striker, smarter than anyone, put his foot down and made it 1-2. The blow for Girona was important, but they recovered and got ready to play. Michel brought in Samu Saiz and Stuani and the Uruguayan had an unbeatable opportunity to equalize in the 72nd minute, but Luca Zidane emerged. The goalkeeper became huge to stop a dubious penalty from Catena on Bernardo. In the last minutes, Girona was a love and I can’t because Pablo Moreno even had a goal annulled (well) in added time. The Lightning is quarters.