Girona v Barcelona preview
After the heaviest defeat of their season so far, Barcelona will return to the La Liga summit if they win at a Girona side 32 points behind them on Monday.
Barca suffered a 4-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Thursday, conceding all of those goals before half-time and having Eric Garcia dismissed five minutes from time.
The result was a shock for a side who had been almost perfect domestically since November, winning nine matches in a row in La Liga before a 2-1 defeat at Real Sociedad on January 18 and collecting three victories by an aggregate score of 9-1 since then.
Real Madrid made a forgettable week worse for Barca by winning 4-1 at home to Real Sociedad on Saturday, moving two points above them at the top of the table with an inferior goal difference and a game more played.
“I am proud of my team,” reaffirmed Barca manager Hansi Flick. “It’s clear I am not happy with the first 45 minutes [at Atleti], but I am proud of the season we are putting in. We will pick ourselves up and come back.
“Girona are a well-organised, brave team who play out from the back well. We will have to be very intense.
“We lost on Thursday and it was a lesson, but life goes on. You have to accept the defeat and have confidence. We have a lot of quality to get over it”.
Girona started the season in dismal fashion with a seven-match winless run but moved out of the relegation zone for the first time since August by winning three straight matches last month.
Since then, they have drawn 1-1 at home to Girona and away to Sevilla either side of a 1-0 defeat at Oviedo.
“Barca are not just Lamine Yamal,” said manager Michel. “They are the team with the most depth in Europe and leaders in many La Liga statistics.
“It’s a special match – that’s the reality. Playing against Barca, Madrid and Atletico Madrid and achieving victory is a significant step forward.
“We need our fans at 200 percent. They have to suffer with us and help us counter Barca. We have in mind how to hurt Barca, but we have to put it into practice.”
Girona v Barcelona team news
Goalkeeper Juan Carlos and winger Portu (both knee) and midfielder Donny van de Beek (achilles) remain out for Girona.
On-loan Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen has a hamstring problem and left-back Alex Moreno a muscle injury.
Girona’s new signings include playmaker Claudio Echeverri and midfielder Fran Beltran. Goalkeeper Ruben Blanco, who left Marseille last month, has signed a deal until the end of the season following Ter Stegen’s injury and says he is in “top shape” and “training with my team-mates at a good pace”.
“Goalkeepers are different in mentality compared to outfield players and, throughout our careers, we experience good and challenging moments,” added Blanco.
“The first impressions with the team have been very good; my new team-mates convey a lot of energy. There will be very healthy competition among the goalkeepers.”
Defender Andreas Christensen and midfielders Gavi and Pedri are out for Barcelona, as is striker Marcus Rashford with a knee issue.
Raphinha will return after missing three matches with the forward’s second hamstring injury of the season.
“He is very important player for us and it’s not the first time I have said that,” observed Flick. “We have missed him because he raises the level of play and the intensity.”
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
How to watch Girona v Barcelona: TV channel, live online stream
Kick-off on Monday is at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT), with live coverage in the UK on Premier Sports 1 and streaming available on a vast range of devices via the Premier Sports app.
A Premier Sports subscription costs £120 a year, £11.99 per month on a 12-month contract or £16.99 per month with 30 days’ cancellation notice required.
Girona v Barcelona stats
- The last three editions of this match have ended in Barca wins
- The Blaugranes have won four of their last five visits to the Montilivi Stadium in La Liga
- They have netted at least three goals in 14 of their last 21 meetings with Spanish sides
- Before that defeat to Atleti, a 1-0 home loss to Leganes on December 15 2024 had been the last time Barcelona failed to score against a Spanish club
- The reigning Liga champions have hit the woodwork 23 times in 2025/26, equalling the highest number at this stage of the season since at least the 2003/04 campaign
- That total is five more than any other team across the five major European leagues this season (Manchester United have hit the woodwork 18 times)
- Pedri’s opener in their 2-1 home win in this fixture in October was Barca’s 200th under Flick. After 71 games, the German became the third-fastest coach ever to reach that tally with the club
- Girona have never lost this fixture on a Monday (W2 D1)
- Only Oviedo (13), Rayo Vallecano (18) and Alaves (22) have scored fewer goals in this season’s division than Girona (22)
- With 37 conceded, Sevilla (39) are the only team to have shipped more goals than them in the top flight this term
- Each of their last five games has contained fewer than three goals, with the only occasion on which they scored more than once during that run coming in a 2-0 win at Espanyol on January 16