Barcelona will look to make it eight wins in a row across all competitions when they travel to Estadi Montilivi to face Girona on Saturday.
Barcelona will make the short trip to Estadi Montilivi this weekend for what promises to be an entertaining game against Catalan rivals Girona, who have been a real breath of fresh air in La Liga so far this season with a proactive approach adopted throughout.
Although Girona might have gained plenty of praise this season after making their La Liga return at the third time of asking and their attack-minded default setting, the Blanquivermells are in the midst of a downbeat run of results.
Michel’s side have displayed a spate of shortcomings since returning from the World Cup’s winter break, most recently putting in another lacklustre performance in a 1-0 away loss to Villarreal. Despite a saved penalty by Paulo Gazzaniga in stoppage time, Girona fell to a frustrating defeat after conceding another spot-kick eight minutes later, which was converted by Dani Parejo.
As a consequence, Girona have fallen out of the top half of La Liga’s standings and have only won one of their last five domestic games. They have also showcased some very apparent defensive issues. Michel’s men have failed to keep a single top-flight clean sheet this season.
Barcelona, on the other hand, are flying at the moment, even in the absence of talismanic striker Robert Lewandowski. Simply put, the Blaugrana have been exceptional on the domestic front this season. They are at the top of the league table at the moment, still three points ahead of Real Madrid in the title race. So everything is going well for them right now.
After beating Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final earlier this month, Barcelona have continued to string together a fine run of results, having won each of their last seven games in a row. And they come into this game off the back of a win over Real Sociedad in Copa del Rey, which saw the team seal their spot in the semi-finals of the competition.
Team News & Tactics
Girona
GRÀCIES SAMU! 🙌
Sempre et recordarem! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/9MfGClGTSf— Girona FC (@GironaFC) January 27, 2023
Girona boss Michel will have to make do without the trio of Reinier (muscle), Ibrahima Kebe (knee), and David Lopez (thigh), who will play no part against Barcelona on Saturday afternoon. Likewise, Santiago Bueno will miss out as the 24-year-old serves a suspension after picking up a red card against Villarreal last time out.
Michel will set his team up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, who made eight saves against the Yellow Submarine in what was a strong showing from the Argentine. He will be in for another busy afternoon here against Barcelona.
The Argentine shot-stopper will be shielded by the four-man backline, which consists of Arnau Martinez, Javi Hernandez, Bernardo Espinosa, and Miguel Gutierrez. Oriol Romeu and Aleix Garcia will form the double pivot in the middle of the park, with the latter assuming a more free and creative role.
As is customary for Girona, Garcia will be the key to their effectiveness in attack. He has not only been Girona’s best player this season, but he has also been La Liga’s best-performing player so far. He has been a constant source of providing goals for Girona this season and would be predominantly tasked with making things happen in the final third.
Rodrigo Riquelme is a shoo-in at right wing, while Toni Villa is expected to hold on to his spot on the left, with Ivan Martin operating in the No. 10 role. Meanwhile, MLS outfit New York City loanee Valentin Castellanos may get another chance to impress ahead of the club’s top scorer and veteran Cristhian Stuani, who looked ineffective in his last outing.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Gazzaniga; Martinez, Hernandez, Espinosa, Gutierrez; Aleix Garcia, Romeu; Villa, Martin, Riquelme; Castellanos
Barcelona
Unlike his counterpart in the Girona dugout, Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez has no fresh injury concerns to deal with. But Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski are both suspended for this match.
Xavi will set his team out in his preferred 4-3-3 formation, with the focus being on keeping the ball, and playing a progressive, possession-based tiki-taka brand of football. But now they also have the physicality, pace, and tenacity to cope with the intensity of their opponents.
Barcelona have shown incredible defensive resilience to see out wins without having to fire on all cylinders, a true sign of an elite team. Nevertheless, Girona are brave in possession and will be relentless with their pressing, making it an enticing battle of different styles.
🎙️ Xavi on Gavi: "When you see how he trains, you see how good he is." pic.twitter.com/7prCpDtfcN
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 27, 2023
There is no looking past world-class Marc-Andre ter Stegen between the sticks for the Blaugrana. The protection will come from the centre-back pairing of Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen. Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde ought to be the two full-backs on the right and left sides, respectively.
Frenkie de Jong may just be deployed as the pivot in this game if Xavi ends up deciding to rest Sergio Busquets. The vibrant and technical duo of Gavi and Pedri will undoubtedly start this game on either side of the Dutch playmaker unless Xavi decides to rest the latter, in which case Frank Kessie will become a possibility from the start.
Dembele capped off a scintillating performance with his third goal in six games to book their place in the Copa del Rey semi-finals. The Frenchman is playing at his very best and will be hoping to carry over his form into this game. Meanwhile, flashy Brazilian winger, Raphinha, will pose a serious threat to the opposition on the opposite flank.
Fati has not been at his best of late. But with Torres and Lewandowski out of the equation with suspensions, he is the only option for the central role, slotting in as the false nine.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, Balde; Pedri, de Jong, Gavi; Dembele, Fati, Raphinha
Key Stats
- Barcelona have kept a clean sheet in 12 of their last 15 La Liga matches.
- Girona are still waiting for their first victory against Barcelona in La Liga and are winless in the last four in a row (D1 L3), shipping 3.2 goals per game on average.
- Girona have managed to record just a single victory from their last five domestic outings.
- Los Blanquivermells have also failed to record a single La Liga clean sheet so far this season.
- Xavi’s side have gone six away games without a loss, with both teams finding the back of the net in three of those games.
Player To Watch
Ousmane Dembele
Dembele has well and truly turned around his once-flailing career in Catalonia around this season. A combination of injuries and personal issues meant that his time at Spotify Camp Nou has been underwhelming at best since his move from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 for a fee of €145 million.
Ousmane Dembélé VS Real Sociedad 🔥 pic.twitter.com/yrSOM2Ud0T
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 26, 2023
He has hit a rich vein of form and has already racked up eight goals and seven assists in all competitions this term. He produced a masterful performance against Real Sociedad, helping the team secure a ticket to the Copa del Rey semi-finals. The Frenchman was a constant threat throughout, running his full-back ragged.
Dembele is playing with such oozing confidence at the moment, and Barcelona supporters have changed their tune massively. With Robert Lewandowski serving the final game of this three-match ban, Dembele will look to step up yet again and serve as the Catalans’ talisman against Girona.
Prediction
Girona 1–3 Barcelona
Matches involving the Gironistes are usually good to watch, with their attractive and eye-catching style of play. The hosts’ ability to find the back of the net has been one of their more impressive qualities this season, having done so in 14 of their last 15 league outings.
So, if Girona are quick with their transitions, they can get a goal or two and give Barcelona a run for their money. But ultimately, the visitors are the superior team on paper and should win this game comfortably given their opposition’s fragility and lack of pace at the back. The Blaugrana will clinch a 3-1 victory to keep their place as the league leaders.
