Spurs suffer heavy defeat to Girona in final pre-season game

Mauricio Pochettino’s young Tottenham Hotspur side were dismantled by a confident Girona team, losing 4-1 in their final pre-season game before the start of the new Premier League season.

Only a handful of senior Spurs players started the game in Catalonia, with Lucas Moura’s stunning freekick opener serving as a false dawn for what was to follow. From that point on, Girona were dominant, levelling the scoreline through Juanpe after 23 minutes before Anthony Lozano gave the hosts the lead before the break.

Changes were made by Spurs after the restart, with Fernando Llorente brought off the bench, but Girona picked up where they left off at the start of the second half, adding a third through Portu, the most impressive player on the pitch.

And a fourth was added when Aleix Garcia finished on the rebound after Portu had struck the post. Pochettino will be far from pleased with what he saw from his side, but will take comfort from the number of key players that were missing.

Are Spurs really ready for the new season? Much of the talk around Spurs this summer has concerned a lack of signings. This was an opportunity for them to show that their preparations have been unaffected, but they suffered a heavy defeat to a side well below their level. Sure, this was a second string Spurs side, but they were far from impressive. So are they really ready for the new season?

Portu (Girona): Spurs couldn’t handle the Girona number nine. He was the hosts’ danger man throughout, getting in behind the opposition defence at will and playing a role in no fewer than three of the goals scored by the Catalan side, finding the net himself. Portu enjoyed a good season last term and on this basis will pick up where he left off when the 2018/19 Liga campaign kicks off in two weeks’ time.

Girona: Bono 5, Porro 6, Juanpe 7, Bernardo 6, Muniesa 7, Timor 6, Garcia 8, Granell 7, Portu 9, Lozano 8, Garcia 8.

Spurs: Vorm 7, Aurier 5, Eyoma 5, Davies 6, Georgiou 5, Amos 6, Marsh 5, Skipp 5, Nkoudou 6, Lucas 6, Son 5.

11’ - WHAT A SAVE! That might have been the opener. Granell crossed into the Spurs box, with a Girona player meeting the cross with a header. Vorm got down to make the reflex save!

13’ - GOAL! Girona 0-1 Spurs. Moura scores - Ooooh that's a stunner! What a goal from Spurs to open the scoring. Lucas smashes the freekick through the wall and into the back of the net from about 20 yards out. Very good goal from the Brazilian winger.

22’ - OFF THE POST! What an effort that was from Juanpe. He struck the freekick from the best part of 25 yards, leaving Vorm standing. However, it smashes off the outside of the post and away.

23’ - GOAL! Girona 1-1 Spurs. Juanpe scores - Girona find the equaliser! After hitting the post with a freekick Juanpe drifts into the box to get on the end of a cross into the box and beats Vorm with a header down into the ground and into the back of the net.

32’ - GOAL! Girona 2-1 Spurs. Lozano scores - The home side have turned this game around and now have the lead! Portu got down the outside, beat his man and drove into the box. He squared for Lozano, who did well to finish from close range. There were men back on the line.

37’ - ANOTHER VORM SAVE! Girona are tearing Spurs to shreds in attack, with Garcia finding Lozano with a clipped cross into the box. Vorm gets down to save Lozano's header, though.

55’ - GOAL! Girona 3-1 Spurs. Portu scores - Portu gets the goal that his performance has warranted! The Girona number nine was threaded through, his touch set him up nicely and he did well to slide a finish into the bottom corner of the net.

61’ - GOAL! Girona 4-1 Spurs. Garcia scores - Wow! This is a rampant performance from Girona now. Portu was played through, he should have scored. He hit the post instead, but Garcia was on hand to find the roof of the net with a rebound finish.

70’ - VERY GOOD SAVE! Juanpe must have thought that he had scored another for Girona, but Gazziniga made the save to tip the header over his own bar. What an effort, what a save.