AFP – Hansi Flick’s Barcelona face Girona tomorrow in a Catalan derby aiming to secure a fifth win from five La Liga matches at the start of the season.
Last season the Catalan giants were upset twice by their upstart minnow neighbours, who thumped Xavi Hernandez’s side 4-2 home and away in the top flight.
Girona, in their fourth ever season in La Liga, ultimately finished third, behind second-place Barca, but for much of the season the Blaugrana could only watch as the tiny club battled Real Madrid for top spot.
Although Girona’s title bid eventually collapsed, their second triumph over Barca secured them Champions League football and delivered Madrid’s record-extending 36th league crown.
A lot has changed since then, with Flick’s arrival in place of Xavi seeming to revitalise Barcelona’s squad. Led by teenage star Lamine Yamal, new arrival Dani Olmo and veteran striker Robert Lewandowski they have won their opening four matches and are the only team in La Liga with a 100 per cent record.
Girona, on the other hand, have lost star names including Artem Dovbyk and Savinho and coach Michel Sanchez is still fitting together his replacement puzzle pieces.
After a 3-0 thumping by Atletico, Girona responded with 4-0 and 2-0 wins over Osasuna and Sevilla respectively, indicating they are on the right track once more.
“It was a difficult market because we had an excellent season, we knew it could be a long window,” said Girona Sporting Director Quique Carcel earlier this week.
“We did what we had planned, which was to think about the players who might leave – we had planned for some of them,” he added.
