Barcelona vs Girona preview, prediction, team news, and head-to-head

The crucial game comes right after Barca suffered that painful 4-1 defeat to Sevilla, a result that halted their unbeaten run in La Liga.

That loss did not just sting; it also allowed Real Madrid to leapfrog them at the top, leaving Hansi Flick’s men trailing by two points. Still, the break might have come at the perfect time, giving the team space to breathe, reset, and fix what went wrong. 

Girona, on the other hand, sit uncomfortably close to the relegation zone but have shown flashes of improvement in recent weeks. They will fancy their chances of causing a bit of trouble,  and they surely will not be coming to Barcelona just to watch the show.

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Barcelona and Hansi flick knows that an immediate reaction is the best course of action. Before the Sevilla game, they had won five of six league games, with eye-catching wins over Valencia (6-0), Getafe (3-0), and Real Oviedo (3-1). 

The Spanish giants averaged 2.7 goals per game, with Robert Lewandowski leading the scoring stats with four goals in eight games. But the Sevilla defeat exposed defensive holes and tactical questions that were at first laid bare by PSG in the UEFA Champions League. 

One thing is certain, Hansi Flick will want fixes, and getting to play next at the Olímpic, where they are unbeaten this season, helps morale while Camp Nou works progress.

Girona had suffered a really shaky start to the season, losing heavily, 5-0 at Villarreal and 4-0 against Levante, and those defeats were really tough to swallow, prompting them to find solutions, and lately, they have looked steadier. 

In their last five games, they have lost just once and even grabbed a much-needed 2-1 win over Valencia. Defensively, they are very unreliable and leak goals for fun (an average of 2.1 per match), but there is no way you can deny their ability to find the net, even against the stronger sides.

Recent meetings between these two Catalan teams have been surprisingly even. Out of the last five La Liga clashes, there have been two wins each and one draw; based on results, nothing really separates them on paper.

Only one of those encounters had fewer than three goals, so you can almost bet this one will not be short of action either. These games are always open, fast, and unpredictable, just how a Catalan derby should be.

Barcelona are having serious issues with a long injury list going into this match. Gavi and Joan García are still out with meniscus issues; Ter Stegen’s back trouble continues to keep him out. Raphinha is back in training, but his hamstring needs to be carefully managed.

Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez are back from injury, but Hansi Flick is not expected to start them, though they might see minutes, but not at full throttle. 

Lewandowski picked up an injury while representing Poland, and he is likely to be out for up to a month. Ferran Torres  also pulled out of Spain duty with a knock, and now he is ruled out too. So the situation means Barcelona’s attack is thin, and Marcus Rashford and Roony Bardghji are likely to start for Barca. 

Girona are not much better. Francés and Iván Martín are suspended, while Van de Beek, Ruiz, Ounahi, Juan Carlos are all injured. Michel’s squad is stretched real thin, so he might have to throw in kids or benchwarmers to tackle the Spanish giants.

 Barça’s quality and home edge should win out, but expect Girona to grab one on the counter.

Barcelona: Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, E Garcia, Balde; Pedri, De Jong; Bardghji, Fermin, Rashford; T Fernandez

Girona: Gazzaniga; Reis, Blind, Martinez; Rincon, Solis, Witsel, Moreno; Roca, Vanat, Gil

Barcelona is expected to dominate possession, while Girona will look to threaten on counters via Portu and Vanat. Expect an entertaining, high-scoring derby, especially for those betting on Livescorebet.

Barcelona 3-1 Girona 

• Barcelona to win

• Both Teams to Score — yes

• Rashford to score anytime 

• Over 2.5 goals