Barcelona are aiming to recover from back-to-back defeats when they host Catalan adversaries Girona in La Liga on Saturday.
La Blaugrana slumped to an alarming 4–1 defeat at Sevilla before the international break, exacerbating their issues after their late loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League four days earlier. Pressure is now on Hansi Flick and his players to bounce back on home soil, although further delays to the re-opening of Camp Nou means another match staged at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
Barcelona will move back to the summit of La Liga with victory this weekend, with table-toppers Real Madrid not in action until they face Getafe on Sunday. Another slip-up for Barça would prove devastating given they face Los Blancos in El Clásico next weekend.
Barça won both battles with Girona 4–1 last season having lost 4–2 home and away in this fixture back in 2023–24. They will be strong favorites to secure another comfortable victory against Michel’s strugglers this weekend.
Girona currently find themselves languishing in 18th after a disappointing start to the season that has seen them manage just six points from eight matches in Spain’s top flight. They have conceded a worrying 17 goals in those fixtures, three more than any other side in La Liga this term, and now face the division’s top scorers in Barça.
Here’s Sports Illustrated’s guide to the clash.
What Time Does Barcelona vs. Girona Kick-Off?
- Location: Barcelona, Spain
- Stadium: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 18
- Kick-Off Time: 10.15 a.m. ET / 7.15 a.m. PT / 3.15 p.m. BST
- Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano
Barcelona vs. Girona Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Barcelona: 2 wins
- Girona: 2 wins
- Draws: 1
- Last Meeting: Barcelona 4–1 Girona (March 30, 2025) - La Liga
Current Form (All Competitions)
How to Watch Barcelona vs. Girona on TV, Live Stream
Barcelona Team News
Flick is struggling with injuries heading into Saturday’s game and has seen forwards Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres added to his list of absentees over the international period. The former is likely to be missing for a month and Barça have confirmed a hamstring injury for the latter.
Dani Olmo also suffered an injury setback with Spain over the international period, meaning he joins Gavi, Marc-André ter Stegen and Joan García in the treatment room.
Lamine Yamal will be available in some capacity after missing Spain’s internationals, but the youngster is unlikely to start given his recent injury record. He will be eased back into the action, especially with one eye on El Clásico.
Reports from Spain have suggested that Raphinha and Fermín López could make their returns from injury against Girona, too.
Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Girona
Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Girona (4-2-3-1): Szczęsny; Koundé, Araújo, Cubarsí, Balde; De Jong, Casadó; Bardghji, Pedri, López; Rashford.
Girona Team News
Girona can rival Barça’s injury issues, with David López, Donny van de Beek, Juan Carlos and Azzedine Ounahi all sidelined. They also have the frustration of missing Alejandro Francés and Iván Martín through suspension.
Viktor Tsygankov, Thomas Lemar and Abel Ruiz are all doubts for the clash, too, although they are in contention to make the trip to the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
Girona Predicted Lineup vs. Barcelona
Girona Predicted Lineup vs. Barcelona (3-4-3): Gazzaniga; Martínez, Reis, Blind; Rincón, Solís, Witsel, Moreno; Portu, Vanat, Gil.
Barcelona vs. Girona Score Prediction
Barcelona’s high line has been breached far too easily in recent weeks and even the struggling Girona should have joy with the space they’re offered on the counterattack. They are the division’s second-lowest scorers heading into Gameweek 9 but have still netted in two of three away games.
Despite Barça’s difficulties in Seville, they should return to winning ways at a relative canter against Girona. Injuries in the forward line will make life tricker for Flick’s side, but they have enough quality and depth to cope with little fuss and punish Girona’s desperate defense.
Prediction: Barcelona 3–1 Girona
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Barcelona vs. Girona: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.