Barcelona will aim to respond to a painful cup defeat as they travel to local rivals Girona for a must-win La Liga fixture. Hansi Flick appears set to pick a strong side to secure the points and then rest some players afterwards.
The schedule gives Barça some relief — there are no midweek commitments for the next two weeks — so it is expected that Flick will not rotate excessively for this single, crucial match. Despite a poor defensive display against Atlético Madrid, a wholesale overhaul at the back is unlikely; the coach may stick with his preferred back four to restore confidence.
Defence: Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsí, Eric Garcia and Alejandro Balde are the names most likely to start together. Although each defender struggled in the Atlético game, this familiar combination should be given another opportunity.
Midfield: Frenkie de Jong had a rare off night in Madrid, but remains the team’s primary option for control in midfield. He is expected to start alongside Marc Bernal, with Fermín López occupying the number 10 role. Dani Olmo is predicted to begin the match on the bench.
Attack: Raphinha is expected to be back in the squad but probably won’t be fit for the full 90 minutes, so Flick may save him for the second half. The likely starting front three are Ferran Torres on the left, Robert Lewandowski leading the line and Lamine Yamal on the right.
Possible XI (4-2-3-1): Joan García; Kounde, Cubarsí, Eric Garcia, Balde; De Jong, Bernal; Yamal, Fermín López, Ferran; Lewandowski.
How do you think Barcelona should line up against Girona? Share your thoughts, predictions and preferred teams in the comments.
