Girona starlet admits foul on Kounde leading to winning goal vs Barcelona: ‘Yes, I stepped on him’ | OneFootball

Girona defeated FC Barcelona 2-1 at Estadi Montilivi on Monday night, after producing a strong performance.

However, there was a controversial incident before the match-winning goal for the hosts, scored by Fran Beltran.

Youngster Claudio Echeverri, on loan from Manchester City, stepped on Jules Kounde, leaving him on the ground in the same attacking phase that led to Beltran’s goal that clinched the victory for Girona.

The controversy arose because VAR did not intervene after on-field referee Cesar Soto Grado chose not to signal anything. Viewed from every angle, the stamp appears clear, and the goal should not have stood, and although some still argue that there was no foul.

If any doubt remained, Echeverri, the protagonist himself, dispelled it at the end of the match when speaking to the cameras of El Chiringuito.

Indeed, the Argentine talent admitted what many had already concluded: there was a foul.

When questioned by the channel’s journalists, Echeverri said: “I don’t know, I didn’t see the replay. Do you have it there?”

Once they showed it to him, the Argentinian said: “Yes, I stepped on him. The thing is, I was coming at speed, and it was unintentional. If the referee had called a foul, I would have understood.” 

The Referees Technical Committee (CTA) has also admitted that the VAR should have intervened after the foul was not called by the on-field referee and the move led to Girona’s goal.

The decision proved costly, with Barcelona now two points behind Real Madrid in the La Liga standings.