La Liga leaders Barcelona return to action in an early kick-off on Sunday, two weeks after their stellar 7-0 hammering of Real Valladolid.
At the time, the 14-day break from club football appeared to arrive at the wrong time for Barcelona’s momentum but in retrospect, it was perhaps the best thing the Catalans could have hoped for.
With many players rested and fresher than before, Hansi Flick’s side stare at a very crucial set of games ahead of them that will test them to the limit.
Over the next three weeks, Barcelona play seven games. Girona, Monaco, Villarreal, Getafe, Osasuna, Young Boys and Alaves are all scheduled just about three days apart and the team must thus step up if they are to keep their form going.
The marathon begins tomorrow at Estadi Montilivi against a Girona side who started the season with a draw and a defeat but are now on a run of two straight wins.
Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Girona vs Barcelona.
The purple patch
Hansi Flick being named La Liga manager of the month in just his first month in Spain says a lot about the start Barcelona have enjoyed to the 2024/25 season.
The Catalans have exceeded all expectations, not only in terms of results but also the sheer quality on the field and deservedly lead the league standings.
What will be intriguing to see is whether they will be able to keep up that momentum for long and how they will start off after a brief hiatus from club football.
Luckily for the team, no player faced any significant injury on international duty, apart from Fermin Lopez. Olmo was the only one to pick up a knock but he too is raring to go ahead of tomorrow’s game.
Moreover, star players like Raphinha and Alejandro Balde enjoyed a much-needed break to rejuvenate while some others like Pedri barely featured for their national team. Barcelona, thus, can seriously hope for fresh legs and inspired performances in the coming weeks.
Tomorrow, the Blaugranas play the first of their seven games scheduled for three weeks and all eyes will be on whether they can get off to a good start.
Nothing like the the derby feeling
Derby fixtures always have a special place on the footballing calendar for they simply cannot be equated to any ordinary 90 minutes of action on the field.
They are the days when raw emotion overflows in front of masses polarised radically towards one side and the internal grit and strength of every player is tested to the limit.
The passion that comes out in such games is difficult to recreate on other nights and the Catalan derby is no different.
Barcelona and Girona have long shared a strong rivalry as two teams based in Catalonia. While Espanyol indeed are the bigger rivals, games against Girona are equally, if not more fascinating.
Given the splendid season Michel’s side enjoyed last time out and their resultant qualification for the UEFA Champions League, tomorrow’s game at Estadi Montilivi will only be all the more cracking of an affair to follow.
After all, playing away on a derby day is a new test for Hansi Flick’s Barcelona following their strong start to the season.
Looking for revenge
It is not often that Barcelona lose twice to a team in the same league season, let alone lose by a big margin.
Yet, that was exactly what Michel’s Girona managed to achieve last season as they completely annihilated Xavi’s side on both the occasions that they met.
The two teams first met on Matchday 16 at Montjuic amid great hype of it being the first Catalan derby of the season. And Girona sent Barcelona to the cleaners with a 4-2 scoreline courtesy of goals from Artem Dobvyk, Miguel Gutierrez, Valery Fernandez and Cristhian Stuani.
The reverse fixture at Montilivi unbelievably saw the same result once more. Dobvyk was on point again while a brave strike from Portu and another goal from Gutierrez downed Xavi’s side on Matchday 34.
With two humiliating defeats in their last two clashes against Michel’s side, Barcelona will thus be out for blood to exact revenge for last season’s thrashings.
Hansi Flick, moreover, will be under pressure to deliver against last season’s dark horses and it will be interesting to see how he switches up his tactics against a team that doesn’t shy away from possession.
