Girona v Barcelona preview
After the heaviest defeat of their season thus far, Barcelona will return to the La Liga summit in the event that they win at a Girona facet 32 factors behind them on Monday.
Barca suffered a 4-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid within the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Thursday, conceding all of these objectives earlier than half-time and having Eric Garcia dismissed 5 minutes from time.
The consequence was a shock for a facet who had been virtually good domestically since November, profitable 9 matches in a row in La Liga earlier than a 2-1 defeat at Actual Sociedad on January 18 and accumulating three victories by an mixture rating of 9-1 since then.
Actual Madrid made a forgettable week worse for Barca by profitable 4-1 at residence to Actual Sociedad on Saturday, shifting two factors above them on the high of the desk with an inferior objective distinction and a sport extra performed.
“I’m happy with my staff,” reaffirmed Barca supervisor Hansi Flick. “It’s clear I’m not proud of the primary 45 minutes [at Atleti], however I’m happy with the season we’re placing in. We are going to decide ourselves up and are available again.
“Girona are a well-organised, courageous staff who play out from the again properly. We should be very intense.
“We misplaced on Thursday and it was a lesson, however life goes on. You must settle for the defeat and trust. We’ve got loads of high quality to recover from it”.
Girona began the season in dismal vogue with a seven-match winless run however moved out of the relegation zone for the primary time since August by profitable three straight matches final month.
Since then, they’ve drawn 1-1 at residence to Girona and away to Sevilla both facet of a 1-0 defeat at Oviedo.
“Barca are usually not simply Lamine Yamal,” stated supervisor Michel. “They’re the staff with essentially the most depth in Europe and leaders in lots of La Liga statistics.
“It’s a particular match – that’s the fact. Enjoying towards Barca, Madrid and Atletico Madrid and attaining victory is a big step ahead.
“We want our followers at 200 p.c. They need to endure with us and assist us counter Barca. We bear in mind the right way to harm Barca, however we’ve to place it into follow.”
Girona v Barcelona staff information
Goalkeeper Juan Carlos and winger Portu (each knee) and midfielder Donny van de Beek (achilles) stay out for Girona.
On-loan Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen has a hamstring downside and left-back Alex Moreno a muscle damage.
Girona’s new signings embody playmaker Claudio Echeverri and midfielder Fran Beltran. Goalkeeper Ruben Blanco, who left Marseille final month, has signed a deal till the top of the season following Ter Stegen’s damage and says he’s in “high form” and “coaching with my team-mates at a great tempo”.
“Goalkeepers are completely different in mentality in comparison with outfield gamers and, all through our careers, we expertise good and difficult moments,” added Blanco.
“The primary impressions with the staff have been excellent; my new team-mates convey loads of power. There will likely be very wholesome competitors among the many goalkeepers.”
Defender Andreas Christensen and midfielders Gavi and Pedri are out for Barcelona, as is striker Marcus Rashford with a knee subject.
Raphinha will return after lacking three matches with the ahead’s second hamstring damage of the season.
“He is essential participant for us and it’s not the primary time I’ve stated that,” noticed Flick. “We’ve got missed him as a result of he raises the extent of play and the depth.”
Girona v Barcelona predicted line ups
Girona: Paulo Gazzaniga, Hugo Rincon, Vitor Reis, Daley Blind, Arnau Martinez, Ivan Martin, Fran Beltrán, Viktor Tsygankov, Thomas Lemar, Bryan Gil, Vladyslav Vanat
Barcelona: Joan Garcia, Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Alejandro Balde, Frenkie de Jong, Marc Casado, Fermin Lopez, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha
Find out how to watch Girona v Barcelona: TV channel, reside on-line stream
Kick-off on Monday is at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT), with reside protection within the UK on Premier Sports activities 1 and streaming accessible on an unlimited vary of gadgets by way of the Premier Sports activities app.
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Girona v Barcelona stats
The final three editions of this match have resulted in Barca wins
The Blaugranes have received 4 of their final 5 visits to the Montilivi Stadium in La Liga
They’ve netted a minimum of three objectives in 14 of their final 21 conferences with Spanish sides
Earlier than that defeat to Atleti, a 1-0 residence loss to Leganes on December 15 2024 had been the final time Barcelona failed to attain towards a Spanish membership
The reigning Liga champions have hit the woodwork 23 occasions in 2025/26, equalling the very best quantity at this stage of the season since a minimum of the 2003/04 marketing campaign
That whole is 5 greater than some other staff throughout the 5 main European leagues this season (Manchester United have hit the woodwork 18 occasions)
Pedri’s opener of their 2-1 residence win on this fixture in October was Barca’s 2 hundredth underneath Flick. After 71 video games, the German turned the third-fastest coach ever to succeed in that tally with the membership
Girona have by no means misplaced this fixture on a Monday (W2 D1)
Solely Oviedo (13), Rayo Vallecano (18) and Alaves (22) have scored fewer objectives on this season’s division than Girona (22)
With 37 conceded, Sevilla (39) are the one staff to have shipped extra objectives than them within the high flight this time period
Every of their final 5 video games has contained fewer than three objectives, with the one event on which they scored greater than as soon as throughout that run coming in a 2-0 win at Espanyol on January 16
