Hansi Flick’s Barcelona will face Girona in a Catalan derby on Sunday, seeking their fifth consecutive victory in La Liga this season.
Last season, Barcelona were twice defeated by Girona, with 4-2 results both home and away. Girona, in their fourth-ever La Liga campaign, finished third behind Barcelona, who took second place. For much of the season, the smaller club contended with Real Madrid for the top spot before their title challenge faltered.
Despite Girona’s eventual third-place finish, their second win over Barcelona secured them a place in the Champions League and helped Real Madrid claim their 36th La Liga title.
Barcelona have undergone significant changes since then, with Flick replacing Xavi Hernandez as head coach. Under Flick’s leadership, the team has seen a resurgence, winning all four of their opening matches. Teenager Lamine Yamal, new signing Dani Olmo, and veteran striker Robert Lewandowski have played key roles in maintaining the team’s perfect record.
In contrast, Girona lost key players like Artem Dovbyk and Savinho during the transfer window. Coach Michel Sanchez is working to integrate new arrivals such as Arnaut Danjuma, Bryan Gil, Abel Ruiz, and Donny van de Beek. Girona also brought in Oriol Romeu on loan from Barcelona, though a clause in his contract will prevent him from playing in the upcoming match.
Following a 3-0 loss to Atletico Madrid, Girona responded with back-to-back victories, defeating Osasuna 4-0 and Sevilla 2-0. Despite these positive results, Girona’s sporting director Quique Carcel acknowledged the challenges of the summer transfer window.
“It was a difficult market because we had an excellent season, we knew it could be a long window,” Carcel said. “We did what we had planned, which was to think about the players who might leave — we had planned for some of them. We looked for profiles which, with our style of play, the coach needed… we are happy with the squad we have.”
Injuries remain a concern for Barcelona, although Dani Olmo is expected to be available despite picking up a knock while representing Spain in their recent Euro 2024 qualification campaign. Additionally, Gavi’s partial return to training on Thursday has boosted team morale, as Barcelona look to maintain their momentum following a 7-0 win over Valladolid before the international break.
“We work much harder than before,” Barcelona midfielder Pedri told Mundo Deportivo. “The team doesn’t dip after the 70th or 80th minute, it maintains the same fitness levels.”
Meanwhile, Real Madrid, the reigning La Liga champions, will visit Real Sociedad on Saturday. Los Blancos have drawn their first two matches and have yet to hit their stride. Kylian Mbappe, who joined Madrid this summer, has taken the most shots in the league so far, with 25 attempts.
Atletico Madrid, sitting in second place, will host bottom-placed Valencia on Sunday. Julian Alvarez, Atletico’s new signing from Manchester City, is still searching for his first goal for the club.
Key Stats:
– Barcelona are the only team in La Liga with a 100% record so far this season.
– Atletico Madrid have kept three consecutive clean sheets.
– Kylian Mbappe has recorded the most shots in the league with 25 attempts.
