Girona offer Catalans pride after La Liga downing of powerhouse Madrid | Sid Lowe

Pablo Machín stood by the table football in the middle of the Montilivi dressing room where two teams lined up rigidly in 3-3-4, one in blue, the other in white, and told his players – the real ones in red – they should be proud. He didn’t speak for long, just a few seconds standing there among the socks, bandages and bottles on the floor, and when he finished there was applause from everyone and for everyone. There was no cava, Girona’s coach said, but there was a celebration and, he admitted, euphoria. “Maybe it’s the coach’s job to calm things down, but I want them to enjoy this,” he explained. This was big, after all, and they had earned it. So they did enjoy it, hugging and cheering.

“The manager told us it would be a party,” midfielder Álex Granell said. “I think he meant for the fans, but in the end it was for us too.” Outside, supporters sang the club anthem as they headed towards the Catalan town. “If they’d told me three years ago that I’d see that happen one day, I’d have asked what world they’re living in,” Machín admitted. Never mind what world, for the last two days most of them couldn’t have told him for sure what country they were living in, but they did know they were happy and that was what mattered most. The players were too, exhausted but elated. At the whistle they could barely walk but, Portu insisted: “After a game like that, you feel like playing another one straight away.”

They may never have played a game like that before. “You’re theoretically the smallest team in the division and you’ve just defeated the European champions,” Machín told his players. “Madrid are a heavyweight and we’re a featherweight,” he admitted, but his team had beaten them – something no first division debutant had done in 27 years, Cristhian Stuani and Portu scoring to overcome an early goal from Isco. The former spent last season getting relegated with Middlesbrough, the latter had played just one primera game before this season and most of their team-mates had similar backgrounds. “Was this the best moment in the club’s history?” Machín was asked. “Well,” he said, “without promotion, today wouldn’t exist. This was our objective: to face teams like this, as equals.”

There was just one flaw: Girona were not equal to Madrid, they were better. Better than the world champions, the team with a budget 10 times theirs, coming here for the first time in the league and helping break their attendance record, with 13,382; better than the team whose manager is Zinedine Zidane, boyhood idol of Stuani; the team that their wing-back Aday Benítez supports and which he tore into. They all did: Aday, Pablo Maffeo, Portu and the rest. And on the day of their patron saint too, amidst Sant Narcís fiestas in the town. “This is historic,” said Stuani.

It was, too – and not just like that. Madrid are not only Aday’s team; they’re also the team of Mariano Rajoy, Spanish prime minister. They’re often seen as representatives of the Spanish nation, of centralism, even of the state. (How fairly is a whole new column – or, better still, a book). Girona, meanwhile, is perhaps the most decidedly pro-independence town in Catalonia, and their former mayor is Carles Puigdemont. Although he supports Barcelona, 99km away, Puigdemont is a Girona fan too and was previously a season-ticket holder and a regular at Montilivi; he is also, of course, head of the Catalan govern and president-in-waiting of the Independent Republic of Catalonia. Is? Was?

Just before 3.45pm on Friday, with the political situation seemingly changing constantly, Puigdemont declared Catalan independence. Supporters flooded into the streets singing the Catalan anthem; others protested. A few hours later, the Spanish senate took direct control of the region, sacking Puigdemont, the autonomous government, the head of police and closed the Catalan parliament. Puigdemont may yet be arrested, although on Saturday he was on the streets of Girona, enjoying a wine. That afternoon, the Spain flag was taken down from Girona’s town hall. And the following night, Madrid arrived by train. The next day, at the same time as mass demonstrations were held by Spanish unionists and attended by the president of the league Javier Tebas, they were due to play the first match since the declaration of independence and the suspension of Catalan authority: Madrid versus Girona, Rajoy versus Puigdemont.

Some suggested Girona v Madrid might be the most symbolic game there has been in Spain. Others suggested there may be trouble ahead. Both clubs insisted they would treat the game like any other and Girona’s mayor insisted normality would reign. “There’s no need for alarm: our fans are peaceful, respectful, and just looking to enjoy first division football,” Machín said. The vice-president of Madrid’s supporters’ club in the city, who is a Girona fan too, insisted: “It’s not difficult to be a Madrid fan here.”

And yet the discourse was one of potential tension, as if Madrid were crossing the border, maybe even the frontline. Much was made of the fact they had travelled incognito without their usual bus – the club said it was in fact on its way to London, not a security matter as had been reported – and there were reports the game might even be cancelled.

It wasn’t. Machín was right.

The sun shone, people smiled, and the pitch looked perfect. Outside the ground, it was calm. Five small boys cycled up for a look, leaving their bikes by a policeman who stood idly by, which is how they stood all afternoon. When Madrid arrived, there were some whistles and some cheers too. Fans took photos. There was a queue in the tiny club shop, but no mugs. It was hot, paper left on seats turned into sun visors. It was quiet inside until the game started and then it was noisy – the way it’s supposed to be. There were loads of Girona fans, and loads of Madrid fans too, all around the ground. Catalan flags hung, most of them esteladas in support of independence; Spain flags were fewer, but they were flown too. There was no tension at all. Just people going to a game. Not Puigdemont, though: this time he stayed away.

At 5.14pm, there were chants of “Independence!” followed by chants of “freedom!” and “Puigdemont president!”. They were greeted by some whistles, but those didn’t last long – there was a football game to watch. Somehow, on the pitch Girona were losing 1-0 – Maffeo had hit the post; 19 seconds later, Madrid were up the other end celebrating the opener - but that didn’t last long either. At the break, by which time Girona had hit the post again, Machín told his players they had a chance and he was right about that too.

Girona, in their usual 3-5-2 formation, tireless wing-backs pushed high, were pressing Madrid, the intensity asphyxiating the visitors, midfielders running through the middle into the space beyond. With a lovely touch, Stuani stepped past the challenges to score the equaliser; four minutes later, Portu got the second with a neat backheel. Played in, Stuani might have got a third, his shot clipped past Kiko Casilla and beyond the far post. As the ball went round, Madrid chasing impotently as Girona moved it on, so did the olés. The players were enjoying this.

Madrid weren’t. Only Isco resisted. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Madrid flattered Girona. Zidane too went for three at the back, with two wing-backs, matching Girona man for man. Only they were no match for Girona. Time ticked andtension grew; you could almost imagine Puigdemont shouting: “They’ll never take our three points!” Madrid sought a way past Bono in goal, but by the final whistle they still hadn’t found what they were looking for – and had never looked like they would. Instead, Machín’s side found even more space until they could hardly move, running to a standstill, yet at the end it was Girona launching one last attack. They didn’t care: the ball was booted into the air, subs, staff and coaches running on, supporters roaring.

They’d done it, history made. Machín, whose Numancia side had beaten Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona on the Catalan’s debut in the dugout, when he was assistant, had now led Girona to a victory that was probably their biggest ever. “Memorable!” shouted the cover of Diari de Girona.

Deserved, too. “The way we played might have surprised some people but those who watch us know we’re always brave,” Machín said. “We’re not better than we were four days ago.” So far Girona have faced Atlético, Barcelona, Sevilla and Villarreal at home. None have found it easy: Villarreal won 2-1, Atlético drew 2-2 having been overrun for an hour, and Sevilla won 1-0. Barcelona won 3-0 but two of those were own goals. Now, Girona had beaten Madrid, leaving Zidane’s team eight points behind Barcelona. “Thanks Girona!” Sport shouted. “The league is very long,” Zidane said but it is a lead they have never overcome. AS called it their “Waterloo”; “Madrid vote to break away from the league”, said the headline in Marca, the match report opening: “Madrid put their slip in the ballot box, voting no to the title.”

“Madrid’s panic was sporting!” cheered El Punt Avui. “It wasn’t the politics; it was the colossal XI they had before them.” El Mundo agreed: “Their hell was on the pitch, not off it.” There had been no trouble until they took to the field but the symbolism was clear, for those seeking it. “Have they illegalised Girona yet?” joked Gabriel Rufian, former leader of the Catalan Republican Left. Puigdemont congratulated them; then, not long after, tweeted: “Girona’s victory over one of the biggest teams in the world is a shining example and a model for many situations.” At the end was a winking emoticon.

“I’m proud of the players,” Machín said. “When Real Madrid play Girona – and hopefully they will do for many years to come – they will win more than they lose, but in one game you can beat them. Football gives you that; today the whole of Spain and people across the world have seen that, they have enjoyed two hours of football. Everyone talks so much, but what people really want is to be happy, to live better, and politicians should dedicate their time to that. This win will stay in the memory and I’m very pleased that for two or three hours people were happy.”

Talking points

• “You dream of something like this,” Cuco Ziganda said, “but winning.” His Athletic team produced perhaps their best performance of the season, at least in the second half, but were beaten 2-0 by Barcelona. Leo Messi and Paulinho both scored – both hit the post, too – but the second came with a breakaway at the end by which time Barça, who could have ended it in the first half, were hanging on. Barely able to keep the ball more than a few seconds, pushed right back, they relied on Samuel Umtiti and, especially, on Marc-André Ter Stegen. AS called him a “titan” and Sergio Busquets admitted: “We’re lucky to have him: a big part of this win is down to him.”

“We suffered, but who doesn’t here? That’s the law of San Mamés,” Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde said. He knows; he has seen it from the other side. On Saturday he was back for the first time. “The truth is that it was stranger than I thought it was going to be,” he admitted. “It’s been different, I don’t know. Having those people pushing you on and then having them against you … it was odd.”

• On the eve of the game, Valverde was asked what he would say if he sat down with Rajoy and Puigdemont, to which he said: “You think they’d sit down with me?” Being Barcelona manager opens doors, he was told. “And do they?” he replied.

• If Antoine Griezmann meant it, the assist for Ángel Correa was astonishing, but it wasn’t enough. Correa finished superbly, but Atlético couldn’t hold the lead against Villarreal. Glass half full, glass half empty: Atlético are unbeaten this season, Atlético have dropped 10 points already. Five wins, five draws. And it’s not just in the league; it’s the Copa del Rey and Europe too. That’s five of their last six that have finished level, and although this was a marked improvement, they still don’t convince up front, where everyone seems to be waiting for Diego Costa (which may just be part of the problem). “Un pasito pálante, un pasito pátras [one step forward, one step back],” wrote Alberto Barbero in Marca. “The person writing this match report doesn’t know if Ricky Martin follows Atlético’s games, he suspects probably not, but the movements that some girl called Maria makes seem to be just the same as the rojiblancos right now.”

• “We didn’t expect to start the season this well when we saw the fixtures,” said Valencia’s manager Marcelino. But there they are. Valencia: played 10, won seven, drawn three, lost none, their best start ever.

• Five hundred and nine minutes later, Leganés finally conceded a goal on their way to a 2-1 defeat at Sevilla, which was moved from 4.15pm to 10.30pm because of high temperatures – in late October. Most didn’t mind, even if the decision was made just four days before, but it was a little tight for José Luis Hurtado, who shared his suffering through the pages of Marca, his match report the chronicle of time slipping away, which it always does. “There was,” he wrote, “a cold sweat when it was clear that the man going off was [Joaquín] Correa, one of the few players who can fill a paragraph.” At least there was no late goal to stick the knife in and make a liar of him next morning. “The game is on the edge, much like this match report: there are voices asking the time, it looks like Sevilla are going to win.” And they did, 2-1.

• It was now or never for Míchel, one headline claimed. “I understand that people are angry; we’re angry too,” the Málaga manager said and the people were waiting for him and his players, but the people didn’t look angry. Instead, they set off fireworks and sang “how could I not love you?” as the bus made its way into the Rosaleda. When they made their way back out again a couple of hours later, they were still singing. Málaga had won at last, and were off the bottom. Before the game Míchel had said he was not worried – “I’d be more worried if the club had backed me” – but after it he admitted: “I don’t know what would have happened if we had lost or drawn.” His son, Adrián, was one of the men who had saved him, scoring the first.

• Check out the assist from Portillo for Getafe’s equaliser in their 2-1 win over la Real. Wonderful.

Results: Alaves 1-2 Valencia, Atlético Madrid 1-1 Villarreal, Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Barcelona, Sevilla 2-1 Leganés, Getafe 2-1 Real Sociedad, Girona 2-1 Real Madrid, Eibar 2-2 Levante, Málaga 2-1 Celta Vigo. Tonight: Espanyol v Real Betis, Las Palmas v Deportivo.