Girona v Barcelona preview
After the heaviest defeat of their season to this point, Barcelona will return to the La Liga summit in the event that they win at a Girona aspect 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 targets earlier than half-time and having Eric Garcia dismissed 5 minutes from time.
The outcome was a shock for a aspect who had been nearly excellent domestically since November, successful 9 matches in a row in La Liga earlier than a 2-1 defeat at Actual Sociedad on January 18 and gathering three victories by an mixture rating of 9-1 since then.
Actual Madrid made a forgettable week worse for Barca by successful 4-1 at dwelling to Actual Sociedad on Saturday, shifting two factors above them on the prime of the desk with an inferior purpose distinction and a recreation extra performed.
“I’m happy with my workforce,” 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’ll choose ourselves up and are available again.
“Girona are a well-organised, courageous workforce who play out from the again properly. We must be very intense.
“We misplaced on Thursday and it was a lesson, however life goes on. It’s important to settle for the defeat and believe. We have now loads of high quality to recover from it”.
Girona began the season in dismal style with a seven-match winless run however moved out of the relegation zone for the primary time since August by successful three straight matches final month.
Since then, they’ve drawn 1-1 at dwelling to Girona and away to Sevilla both aspect of a 1-0 defeat at Oviedo.
“Barca should not simply Lamine Yamal,” mentioned supervisor Michel. “They’re the workforce with probably the most depth in Europe and leaders in lots of La Liga statistics.
“It’s a particular match – that’s the fact. Enjoying in opposition to Barca, Madrid and Atletico Madrid and reaching victory is a major step ahead.
“We’d like our followers at 200 p.c. They need to endure with us and assist us counter Barca. We keep in mind tips on how to harm Barca, however we have now to place it into follow.”
Girona v Barcelona workforce 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 drawback 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 “prime form” and “coaching with my team-mates at an excellent tempo”.
“Goalkeepers are totally 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 workforce have been excellent; my new team-mates convey loads of vitality. 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 difficulty.
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 mentioned that,” noticed Flick. “We have now 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
Methods to watch Girona v Barcelona: TV channel, dwell on-line stream
Kick-off on Monday is at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT), with dwell 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.
A Premier Sports activities subscription prices £120 a yr, £11.99 monthly on a 12-month contract or £16.99 monthly with 30 days’ cancellation discover required.
Girona v Barcelona stats
- The final three editions of this match have led to Barca wins
- The Blaugranes have gained 4 of their final 5 visits to the Montilivi Stadium in La Liga
- They’ve netted no less than three targets in 14 of their final 21 conferences with Spanish sides
- Earlier than that defeat to Atleti, a 1-0 dwelling loss to Leganes on December 15 2024 had been the final time Barcelona failed to attain in opposition to a Spanish membership
- The reigning Liga champions have hit the woodwork 23 occasions in 2025/26, equalling the best quantity at this stage of the season since no less than the 2003/04 marketing campaign
- That whole is 5 greater than another workforce throughout the 5 main European leagues this season (Manchester United have hit the woodwork 18 occasions)
- Pedri’s opener of their 2-1 dwelling win on this fixture in October was Barca’s two 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 targets on this season’s division than Girona (22)
- With 37 conceded, Sevilla (39) are the one workforce to have shipped extra targets than them within the prime flight this time period
- Every of their final 5 video games has contained fewer than three targets, 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
