La Liga defending champions Barcelona are all set to host Girona, the surprise title challengers of the 2023/24 edition.
Girona are all set to hit the road to face Barcelona on Sunday. The Blaugrana might not be dominating the oppositions in the ongoing season, but they have still had a great start to the new term and should push for the title right until the end. Meanwhile, the visitors have done wonders so far, but they are now up against a team that will be eager to stop them in their tracks.
Barcelona are currently third on the points table with 34 points out of their 15 matches. They have won ten and drawn four games so far. Their only loss of the season came against league leaders Real Madrid. Xavi’s team have bounced back from that defeat and are currently on a four-match unbeaten run in the league.
The Catalan giants are heading into this fixture on the back of a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid. Thanks to that win, they are just four points away from first-placed Real Madrid. Xavi will hope for a similar performance on Sunday as his team go up against another title challenger.
Girona have stunned everyone with the kind of run they have been on in the ongoing season. To everyone’s surprise, the visitors are currently second on the points table, with 38 points out of their 15 matches. They have won 12, drawn two and have only lost once.
Even the visitors’ only defeat of the season came at the hands of Real Madrid. They are level on points with Los Blancos and will look to ensure they do not drop points and give them an advantage in the race. Girona’s last league outing was a 2-1 win over Valencia and they will be confident about their chances heading into this fixture against the Catalan giants.
The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Barcelona
Xavi Hernandez will be without the services of Gavi, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Inigo Martínez for this fixture. Meanwhile, Marcos Alonso could be back in the mix, but he is unlikely to start in this fixture.
The home side will stick to the 4-3-3 formation, and Inaki Pena will continue in goal in the absence of ter Stegen. Andreas Christensen will feature in the heart of the defence alongside Jules Kounde. Ronald Araujo could start as the right-back, while Joao Cancelo might once again feature as the left-back.
In the centre of the park, Ilkay Gundogan will start alongside Frenkie de Jong and Pedri. The trio will look to ensure they have the majority of the ball and they get to dictate the pace of this fixture.
Raphinha and Joao Felix will start out wide on the flanks. The duo will look to provide width to their attacks, try to cut inside on their strong foot and take shots at goal as well as create chances for their star striker Robert Lewandowski.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pena; Araujo, Kounde, Christensen, Cancelo; F de Jong, Gundogan, Pedri; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Felix
Girona
Girona will be without the services of Yangel Herrera, Joel Roca and Toni Villa. Meanwhile, the availability of Borja Garcia and Ricard Artero is doubtful.
The visitors will stick to the 3-4-3 formation, with Paulo Gazzaniga in goal. The back three will be made up of Eric Garcia, David Lopez, and Daley Blind. The trio will look to keep a clean sheet against a star-studded Barcelona attack.
The central defenders will have the support of Viktor Tsyhankov and Miguel Gutierrez, who will start out wide as the wing-backs. They will look to join the attack but their primary task will be to ensure they keep a clean sheet.
Aleix Garcia and Yan Couto will take charge in the centre of the park. They will try to keep hold of the ball and supply it out wide in order to stretch the opposition’s defence. Ivan Martin and Sávio will take care of the flanks. They will look to make the best out of the counter-attacking opportunities that they get. Meanwhile, Artem Dovbyk will start up top as the number nine.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Gazzaniga; Eric Garcia, David Lopez, Blind; Tsygankov, Couto, Aleix Garcia, Gutierrez; Martin, Dobvyk, Savio
Key Stats
- Barcelona have won seven out of their last ten matches against Girona who have only one once.
- The Catalan giants are unbeaten in their last six games against Girona in the league.
- Girona have picked up 19 points from losing position in the ongoing season. That is more than any team in Europe’s top-five league.
- Xavi’s team have scored 17 goals in their last four home games against the visitors.
- Girona have won four out of their last five league games and they have only lost once this season.
- Barcelona have found the back of the net in each of their last 13 home games in the league. It is their best record under Xavi.
Player to Watch
Robert Lewandowski
Lewandowski has only scored eight goals in his 17 outings this season. The Polish international is not at his best, and he will hope to deliver a five-star performance when they host Girona.
The former Bayern Munich ace might be 35 but he still has a few more years of football left in him and will be eager to shut the critics by getting his name on the scoresheet. He was one of the reasons for their league win last season and he will have to start dominating again if Barcelona want to retain their title.
Prediction
Barcelona 2-1 Girona
The hosts are heading into this fixture on the back of an important 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid and they will be confident of getting the right result against the surprise title challengers. Meanwhile, Girona have only lost once this season, they have been playing an attractive brand of football and have turned defeats into wins.
They are in red-hot form and will surely give Barcelona a tough fight on the night. While Girona will dream of a win, they might not have enough in their ranks. As a result, The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the home team.