“Qué barbaridad,” they’re saying on Twitter.
Qué barbaridad!
Barbarity indeed, this pass from Diego Godín.
Even in your rudimentary Spanish, you know a barbaridad.
The cruel, the savage—the unforgiving siege of the fortress.
The carnage, the death, the destruction.
And this pass, a sudden long-ball delivery from Diego Godín.
Cutting through the Girona defense.
El pase de Godin que barbaridad
— Joaquín plaza (@joaquipb) January 16, 2019
But, next to the book of savagery:
There’s that of art, of poesy, of poetry.
Fanciful, beautiful ideas, words, brushstrokes—and again this pass, from Diego Godín.
El pase de Godín en el gol es poesía
— Griezmanníaco (@griezmanniaco7) January 16, 2019
There was something hypnotic, in this build-up, perhaps more than any other this year.
The gentle, diagonal passing from Atlético’s back line.
The lulling to sleep of Girona’s midfield.
The unassuming, passing-the-time feeling of the entire moment.
And then—the pass.
Splitting the last two defenders, setting up Nikola Kalinić after two bounces on the grass.
Diego Godin is often known as the ruthless tackler who is an amazing defender. Often times his passing is under appreciated.
Served a ball on a dime to Kalinic for Atletico’s opening goal. Godin doesn’t get enough credit for that side of his game.
— EiF (@EiFSoccer) January 16, 2019
There’s only one bad thing about the whole pass, the game overall.
At least for Godín, Kalinić, and Atlético Madrid:
They lost.
Girona through! Atletico out! 3-3, 4-4 on aggregate.
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) January 16, 2019
Well, not a loss exactly.
But a tie, after a wild back-and-forth game that ended 3-3.
With Girona advancing, in this Copa del Rey, by the away goals tiebreaker (4-4 aggregate).
😱 We've only gone and done it!
♥️ A historic night in Madrid as #GironaFC have gone and scored 3 away goals at Atlético Madrid to secure qualification for the Quarter Finals of the Copa Del Rey for the first time in the club's entire history!
🙌 Outstanding @GironaFC pic.twitter.com/T9I0bpnb6d
— GironaUK (@GironaUK) January 16, 2019
Looking at the map, Girona is just up the road from Barcelona, near the French border.
We know the story with Barcelona, this past decade or two.
And now, the little neighbors to the north, Girona FC—moving on up.
Who, according to the gentleman below, have earned quite the title:
The second-biggest huevos in Catalonia.
El Girona y sus enormes huevos
El segundo equipo de Catalunya es el Girona, el Espanyol no existe
— Suarezismo (@mister_culee) January 16, 2019
And so maybe there’s something in the water, in Catalonia—this unique little part of northern Spain. Maybe, along the coastline of the Mediterranean, or in the sounds of their own language, some little magic signal that makes the soccer players click.
Last year was Girona’s first ever season in the Spain’s top division, finishing 10th.
This season, they’re in 12th. No real threat to be relegated.
And now, beating Atlético Madrid, they might’ve just become legitimate.
Wow, Girona stun Atletico Madrid with a 3-3 draw at the Wando Metropolitano to knock them out of the Copa del Rey. That club deserve so much credit for what they’ve achieved over the last 18 months.
— Reece Heard (@Reece_1995_) January 16, 2019
But at least, tonight, Atlético fans got left with something.
The pass, the vision, the assist—and the barbarity…
Of Diego Godín.