Rredemption is fast spherical right here. In the darkness of the bench, hidden a bit of however now not sufficient, Taty Castellanos hung his head. A few mins previous, the Girona striker were wiped clean thru on the Camp Nou, now not only one on one however two on one. This used to be his second to overcome Barcelona for the primary time, his second, however as a substitute of rolling the ball into teammate Viktor Tsygankov or bending it into the online, he despatched a shot broad. Withdrawn rapidly after, part an hour prior to the tip, he sat and sobbed and did not forestall. Some time later, his trainer stated: he is nonetheless within the dressing room, crying.
That used to be 10 April; this used to be 25 April. Castellanos could not sleep then and he could not sleep now, nonetheless unsleeping at 4am and compelled to take a tablet, nevertheless it used to be other. Fifteen days later and 101km north, Castellanos used to be taken off early once more. This time he used to be smiling, leaving to a status ovation, Estadi Montilivi going as mad as he stated his cell used to be. What he had performed – and this line is not the empty cliché it as soon as used to be – had long past spherical the arena. “Crazy,” he referred to as it. “I never imagined this.” Nor did someone else. What he had performed nobody had performed in 75 years.
“When I scored the first, a lot of things went through my head: family, friends, my mum,” Castellanos stated. “And then the goals kept coming and I thought: ‘It’s my night.'” By the tip of it, he used to be retaining the fit ball, having scored 4 instances to Girona result in a 4–2 victory over Real Madrid. As he stood along with the pitch, seeking to make himself heard over essentially the most maddeningly-catchy membership anthem in Spain (which is able to accompany you all day now if you are daft sufficient to click on right here), he used to be beaming. “This is a dream night,” he stated. “Now to enjoy it with all the people who supported me, because that’s fundamental.”
Castellanos had scored as many objectives in a single league sport with Madrid as Eden Hazard has in 4 years of them, greater than each different staff enjoying on Tuesday evening: Cádiz, Osasuna, Madrid, Betis and Real Sociedad had controlled 3 between them. Some of the stats are somewhat one thing. No one had ever put 4 previous a Carlo Ancelotti staff, going again 1,274 video games. And whilst Castellanos had if truth be told scored 4 this time closing yr and in opposition to a Real too, Salt Lake isn’t the similar as Madrid, even a Madrid all too mindful the name race used to be already run. No one had performed this to them in a decade – now not since Robert Lewandowski with Dortmund – and nobody had performed so within the league since Real Oviedo’s Esteban Echevarría, long ago in 1947.
Any excuse, eh? And it will get higher as a result of if that will not be totally, strictly-speaking true, what with Echavarria if truth be told scoring 5, do not be disturbed since the closing participant to get 4 bang on used to be Emilín 3 years previous, following Vicent Martínez Català 4 years prior to that, in 1940 – and either one of the ones performed for Oviedo too. Anyway, this used to be now not only a golden alternative to be biased. It used to be historical. It used to be additionally cathartic, the most important evening of Castellanos’s curious occupation thus far, an organization guy taking some other step up the ladder. With the whole lot development against the Champions League semi-final, it became out the City striker who destroyed Madrid wasn’t Erling Halaand, no less than now not but, with 4 objectives arriving like a caution from the long run.
Discovered by means of Leopoldo Luque, a father determine and World Cup winner with Argentina in 1978, Castellanos had gotten used to falling and getting up once more. A Messi fan with a Maradona tattoo, he used to be rejected by means of River and Lanús, moved to Chile when he used to be 17, and truly started when he used to be signed by means of the City Group, progressing from inside, each step shared. He performed for Montevideo City Torque in Uruguay and New York City FC. There, he used to be guided by means of David Villa, successful MLS’s Golden Boot and the MLS Cup. This summer time, the penultimate rung: he joined Girona, some other a part of the City Football Group, owned by means of them and Pep Guardiola’s brother, Pere.
Castellanos has began each sport, which isn’t to mention it’s been simple. The paintings, the motion, all the ones different issues a ahead does did not at all times carry the praise. When he overlooked the danger in opposition to Barcelona, it lower deep. As the feedback got here, he closed his social media accounts. On Tuesday evening a fortnight on, his trainer Michel stated: “He merits it; after shutting down Twitter and Instagram, I’m glad he can flip it again on once more.”
This was Castellanos’ night, but it was also Girona’s, responsibility spread. At the Camp Nou, Michel said: “Missing that chance hurts forwards more than all the work they do. But Taty has given us so much and will continue to. Forwards are there to miss chances and I’m convinced he will bring us happiness.”
Five days later, Cristhian Stuani, the veteran Uruguayan striker who competes with him however guides him too, had a message, delivered privately as well as publicly: “We’re those who raise the burden of scoring, a phenomenal force that makes us develop. We’re in combination, we’re going to make it.” That night Castellanos scored against Elche. Nine days on, he has four more.
That takes Taty to 11 for the season and a Catalan radio commentator to a tattoo parlor after an ill-advised pre-game promise – four was one more than was needed, in fact. More to the point, it takes Girona to their target seven games early. promoted to primera For the first time in 2017, relegated in 2019, the team seemingly destined to fall in the playoffs for ever and ever finally found their way through them last summer. Now they’re staying. “I do not know if it is mathematically performed, however it is very shut,” Michel said on Tuesday. “This victory allows you to let loose. The dressing room deserves a night like this.”
It hasn’t ever truly been unsure, except for that doubt by no means disappears totally. Sitting in the course of the desk – and far of that is acceptable to Rayo Vallecano, Osasuna and Mallorca too – won’t appear very thrilling, however it’s an success that should not be diminished simply because it got here to really feel regimen. Girona are a excellent aspect, now not simply Castellanos. He isn’t the primary with City hyperlinks – take into accout Patrick Roberts – and he may not be the closing, even though this isn’t an aspect whose sole provider is in Manchester. Yan Couto and Yangel Herrera are City avid gamers whilst Aleix García performed six video games underneath Guardiola. He has inspired vastly this season. Alongside him, so has Oriol Romeu, his very best buddy from the similar tiny the city – Ulledecona, inhabitants 6,421. Tsygankov isn’t just an inventory of chilly signs; he is “special” the trainer says. Arnau Martinez has been remarkable. To identify only a few.
This midweek, Girona defeated Madrid 4–2 and the next evening Rayo beat Barcelona 2–1. Sure, they had been video games conditioned by means of the truth that for Madrid the league is long past and for Barcelona it’s performed, however they weren’t simply victories, they had been destructions. They had been additionally now not one-offs.
Rayo has crushed each this yr. Winners over Madrid at the evening when Fede Valverde produced the shot of the season, actually sending the ball over the bar, over the wall and into someone’s living room, Rayo are unbeaten by means of Barcelona since returning to primera: 4 video games, two wins, no defeats, no objectives conceded till Lewandowski’s past due strike on Wednesday. Girona, in the meantime, are unbeaten in opposition to Madrid this season and the one staff whose historical head-to-head in opposition to the European champions has them within the lead: performed six, gained 3.
“That was fun,” stated Rayo’s supervisor Andoni Iraola, with the large two each crushed in 24 hours. Girona and Rayo could be the 2 most delightful groups in La Liga. With Míchel and Iraola respectively, they’ve coaches decided now not simply to live to tell the tale, however to play. They make La Liga a greater position, and having reached 43 and 41 issues this week, and their golf equipment might be again to do it once more subsequent season.
There’s no evening out like Vallecas the place Rayo, the most important ache within the ass within the first department – in Xavi’s phrases – tore into Barcelona, scoring two when they might have scored 5 or 6.
When Rayo beat Madrid, it completed 3–2. Girona went one higher, completing 4–2. They have additionally had 3 2-2s, 3 3-2s and a 6-2. There had been 93 objectives of their video games: no staff has extra. They have simplest saved 3 blank sheets – and a type of used to be in opposition to Barcelona. That evening Castellanos hung his head and cried, victory slipping previous the put up; two weeks and someday later, he used to be smiling and so they had been protected, redemption finished in document time.