| Odds via 22bet | |
| Girona FC vs Barcelona | September 15, 16:15 GMT+1 |
| Girona FC odds | 3.84 |
| Barcelona FC odds | 4.04 |
| Draw | 1.83 |
| Over\Under | Total 2,5: 1.49/2.44 |
This season marked another significant shift in Girona’s history. The club once again faced the departure of key players, a common trend as part of The City Group. Savio left for Manchester City, while Artem Dovbyk made his way to Italy.
With the departures of their two most important forwards, it is unsurprising that Girona struggled at the beginning of this season. Both players reached double figures last season, and without their contributions, we saw a winless Girona in their first two matches.
The Catalans drew against Real Betis (1-1) and suffered a heavy defeat against Atlético de Madrid (3-0). However, Girona seems to be back on track after defeating Osasuna (4-0) and Sevilla (2-0). Scoring six goals in two matches after losing most of your attack is impressive.
Not many coaches would be able to pull this off, but there is a reason Michel was hired for this job.
Yangel Herrera is uncertain of making it, which probably means that Oriol Romeu, who just returned after an unsuccessful one-year spell at Barcelona, will organize the team from the midfield.
One of the notable signings that has sparked excitement among fans is Arnaut Danjuma from Villarreal CF. He is a powerful striker who could eventually serve a purpose similar to Dovbyk’s in the box.
However, Abel Ruiz has been starting up front, though his lack of physical presence could pose a long-term issue for Girona’s effectiveness in the final third.
| Recent Form | DLWW |
| Key Player to Watch | Viktor Tsygankov |
| Team Strengths | Strong transitions, fast-paced football |
| Team Weaknesses | Restructuration of the team means a lack of chemistry, Abel Ruiz isn’t powerful enough up front, lack of fundamentals in the defence. |
| Key injuries and suspensions. | Yangel Herrera (doubtful) |
New beginnings under Hansi Flick have reignited excitement among Barcelona fans. Xavi Hernández looked out of his depth, torn by the media and the expectations. The decision to hire Flick marked a significant shift in philosophy as the club embraced the German “Gegenpressing” style.
Flick still doesn’t know what having a full squad means – the injuries of Ansu Fati, Frenkie de Jong, and Gavi stand in the way. This didn’t prevent Barcelona from scoring a perfect run until the international break, currently sitting atop La Liga.
Nobody has been able to stop them until now. Their most recent performance, a stunning 7-0 thrashing of Real Valladolid, left no doubt that Hansi Flick’s aggressive, high-octane style has taken full effect.
Unfortunately, not everything has been smooth for Barcelona. Marc Bernal, who had just earned the full trust of both Flick and the fans, suffered an ACL injury that will keep him sidelined for at least a year.
Football can be cruel – all it took was a tackle, and the teenager’s season is over. This is a major setback for Barcelona, as Bernal was one of the few traditional defensive midfielders in the squad.
Ronald Araújo and Andreas Christensen are also still out, while it’s unclear whether Fermin López will recover in time.
Despite a perfect record, the games against Valencia and Athletic Club showed that the team still needs to evolve on transition fundamentals, where 300km/h football often proves to be a ping-pong game where the defence is hit faster than ever. Without Araújo, doubts remain whether that’s a feasible approach.
| Recent Form | WWWW |
| Key Player to Watch | Raphinha |
| Team Strengths | Chances creation and building-up rapidly |
| Team Weaknesses | Lack of stability, prone to counter-transitions |
| Key injuries and suspensions. | Andreas Christensen, Frenkie de Jong, Ronald Araújo, Ansu Fati, Gavi, Marc Bernal, Dani Olmo (doubtful), Fermin López (doubtful). |
Barcelona is winless in its last three encounters against Girona, having lost 4-2 in the last two.
Historically, Barcelona used to dominate these clashes, but the rise of Girona, particularly since becoming part of the City Football Group (CFG), has changed the dynamic. Girona used to bounce between the First and Second Division, but since their last promotion, they haven’t looked back.
The two defeats last season, both ending 4-2, saw Barcelona struggle with Girona’s ability to exploit spaces between the lines. Artem Dovbyk was a major problem, while Barcelona looked slow.
Interestingly, Barcelona brought Oriol Romeu from Girona in the offseason, while the CFG-owned club brought Eric García and Pablo Torre on loan from Barcelona.
This upcoming match is expected to be quite different from those of the previous two seasons. Girona hasn’t quite figured out their new identity, while Barcelona famously struggles to find their rhythm after the international break. Whether Flick is the man who can break this curse, is a question that will be answered this weekend.
The man that has surprised most with his output on Barcelona’s side is none other than Raphinha. If the Brazilian was always decent in front of the goal, his output in the final third has improved in the last weeks, and it is likely that he will cause trouble in the box against Girona.
If Dani Olmo makes it to the squad list, he could be the other star to look out for. The La Masia graduate proved to be effective in Hansi Flick’s pacey transition football, finding space between the lines. Considering that Girona finds it difficult to keep their defensive lines in order, Olmo’s ability to exploit gaps could be pivotal.
On Girona’s side, the focus would be the left-wing, notably through Miguel Gutierrez and Bryan Gil.
Miguel was a big part of Girona’s transitions through the wings last season, while Bryan Gil was just brought back to Spain after challenging spells abroad. He has well integrated the team thus far, showing that his future is far from done.
If the two combine well enough on the wings, this could be an anchor to start the counter-attacks, which is famously Barcelona’s weakness.
Both teams are expected to start in a 4-3-3 formation, with Girona preferring to play through the wings, while Hansi Flick’s has mostly played through the center until now.
Much of the game will depend on who scores – it’s unlikely that it will remain goalless.
Both teams prefer pressing as a tool to attack, which means we could see endless transitions. Barcelona struggled in the last encounter to keep their lines closed when Girona opened the score – whether they learned their lesson will be seen this weekend.
It’s difficult to predict the opening goal, given Girona’s home advantage and Barcelona’s tendency to lose momentum after international breaks. However, Barcelona still arrives in better form, making them the clear favorites despite Girona’s recent success in head-to-head matchups.
Barcelona’s attack, particularly with Raphinha and potentially Dani Olmo, has a well-defined structure. It utilizes established passing circuits and channels to break down defenses.
The same cannot be said about Girona – and this should be enough to become the differential, with my expectations leaning towards Barcelona having the last word during this afternoon.
There isn’t much certainty to this game – but Raphinha being a goal threat is one of the few things we can take for granted. Considering that Girona is likely to struggle due to their lack of traditional rigidity between the lines, I would be surprised to see Raphinha failing to score in what is expected to be a high-energy clash.
Barcelona should be tipped as the favourite despite the current situation. With a team that has adopted a new style and seems to thrive in it, their transition into the 24/25 season seems more favourable than that of their Catalan neighbours.
Both teams are certain to attack; the question is who will have the last word. As most teams thrive with higher confidence in such cases, my predictions lean toward Raphinha and his team, Barcelona.
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