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Girona vs. Barcelona: Preview, Predictions and Lineups
Barcelona make the short trip to Girona on Monday night looking to bounce back after enduring the worst defeat of the Hansi Flick era last time out against Atlético Madrid.
On a night where nothing went right, Barcelona deservedly fell 4–0 to a dominant Atléti, all but ending their Copa del Rey title defense. It’s a massive gut punch to Barça’s season, but the Catalans must overcome the adversity and respond to reclaim top spot in La Liga from Real Madrid.
Girona spent much of the first half of the season sitting in the relegation zone, but recent positive results have helped Michel’s side surge to 15th in the standings. Still, Girona are just two points clear of the drop zone, and taking something from Barcelona’s visit would be crucial in the tight relegation race.
Regardless of Girona’s ambitions, Flick’s Barça are obligated to return home with all three points. With almost a full week of rest ahead of them for the first time in 2026, Barcelona will be eager to return to winning ways with a convincing performance on Monday.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s guide to this La Liga clash.
What Time Does Girona vs. Barcelona Kick Off?
- Location: Girona, Spain
- Stadium: Estadio Municipal de Montilivi
- Date: Monday, Feb. 16
- Kick-off Time: 3:00 p.m. ET / 12:00 p.m. PT / 8:00 p.m. GMT
Girona vs. Barcelona Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Girona: 2 wins
- Barcelona: 3 wins
- Draws: 0
Current Form (All Competitions)
Girona (DLDWW) | Barcelona (LWWWW) |
|---|---|
Sevilla 1–1 Girona | Atlético Madrid 4–0 Barcelona |
Real Oviedo 1–0 Girona | Barcelona 3–0 Mallorca |
Girona 1–1 Getafe | Albacete 1–2 Barcelona |
Espanyol 0–2 Girona | Elche 1–3 Barcelona |
Girona 1–0 Osasuna | Barcelona 4–1 Copenhagen |
How to Watch Girona vs. Barcelona on TV, Live Stream
Country | TV/Live Stream |
|---|---|
United States | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Select, fuboTV, ESPN App |
United Kingdom | Premier Sports 1, Premier Sports Player |
Canada | TSN5, TSN+ |
Mexico | Sky Sports Mexico, Sky+ |
Girona Team News
Injuries have ravaged Girona since the start of the term and the team now prepares to host Barcelona with a number of notable absences.
Barça loanee Marc-André ter Stegen tore his hamstring two games into his Girona career. He’ll join Donny van de Beek, Cristian Portu, Richard Artero and Álex Romero as notable injury casualties. Fran Beltran suffered a foot injury last time out and his status is uncertain for Barça’s visit.
Axel Witsel scored against Barcelona in the most recent meeting and could enter the XI to replace Beltran. Atlético Madrid loanee and former France international Thomas Lemar is also expected to get the nod in the No. 10 role.
Man City loanee Claudio Echeverri still hasn’t started a game for Girona since joining the club last month, but former Tottenham Hotspur man Bryan Gil will likely start on the left wing. At the back, Daley Blind will be tasked with organizing Girona’s defense.
Girona Predicted Lineup vs. Barcelona
Girona predicted lineup vs. Barcelona (4-4-2): Gazzaniga; Rincón, Reis, Blind, Martínez; Martín, Witsel; Tsyhankov, Lemar, Gil; Vanat
Barcelona Team News
Even after the thrashing Barcelona endured midweek against Atlético Madrid, wholesale changes to the XI aren’t expected, with Flick taking no risks and aiming for an emphatic response.
Injuries also play a role, with Pedri confirmed out. Marcus Rashford still hasn’t returned to training as he deals with a knee issue. Raphinha was back on the grass on Saturday, but it might be too soon to expect the Brazilian to start.
Dani Olmo is set to repeat on the left wing, with Fermín López through the middle. Marc Casadó struggled massively midweek and it’s likely fellow La Masia graduate Marc Bernal enters the lineup to partner Frenkie de Jong, adding some much needed physicallity to Barça’s midfield.
The rest of Barcelona’s lineup could remain unchanged from what Flick deployed at the Metropolitano.
Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Girona
Barcelona predicted lineup vs. Girona (4-3-3): García; Koundé, Cubarsí, García, Balde; De Jong, Bernal; Yamal, López, Olmo; Torres
Girona vs. Barcelona Score Prediction
Girona have noticeably improved since the turn of the year, but Barcelona enter the clash with a point to prove, on a mission to rebound after the midweek humiliation in the Copa del Rey.
The visitors will be focused and intense from the starting whistle, resulting in a dominant effort against their Catalan neighbors. Still, given the state of Flick’s backline, it’s also hard to envision Girona failing to harm Barça.
The overwhelming gap in quality will likely translate to a lopsided victory, but Barcelona may continue to show signs of their defensive weaknesses.
Prediction: Girona 1–4 Barcelona
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-06ad2d29b37d2cca1a44008a56289260.png "Roberto Casillas")
Roberto Casillas is a Sports Illustrated FC freelance writer covering Liga MX, the Mexican National Team & Latin American players in Europe. He is a die hard Cruz Azul and Chelsea fan.