Three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Girona | La Liga MD 9 | OneFootball

Barcelona return to action after the international break wounded, not only in a sporting sense but also in terms of the squad’s fitness.

Having suffered two back-to-back defeats in their last two games, the Catalans will be looking to get back on track with a statement performance, but their injury situation and form do not suggest a very flowery picture.

The Catalan derby, thus, will be a spectacle to behold, especially given that Girona are not in the best of form either and will be equally desperate to get back to winning ways.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Girona.

Profound injury crisis

If Barcelona’s injury situation was dire before heading into the international break, the hiatus only made the situation worse and rubbed salt into their wounds.

Lamine Yamal is fit but will not play full 90 minutes. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images for Qatar Airways)

The likes of Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez were injured at the time, but are now on their way back from the setbacks, and Raphinha persisted as the only other major injury blow.

In the hiatus, however, Barcelona lost the spine of their attacking depth and now face a situation where the manager must struggle to even put out a formidable team against Girona.

Robert Lewandowski was injured on international duty with Poland, while Ferran Torres returned early from his national team after a niggle, and both players will be unavailable today.

Further, Dani Olmo is also ruled out after he was injured early in the break.

Flick, thus, has a major selection dilemma ahead of the game later today, for he must manage the attacking department without Torres, Lewandowski, and Raphinha while also using Yamal in a limited capacity, given that he is just returning from injury.

Marcus Rashford, in all probability, will play as the central striker, while there is talk of playing Alejandro Balde as a winger on the left, given the dire circumstances.

On the right, Yamal can start, but it is likely that Roony Bardghji starts, and the protege comes on later in the game.

A mental reset

Barcelona need a reset. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

Barcelona’s last two games before the international break were perhaps their worst performances under Hansi Flick since the manager took over, and they rightfully ended in two defeats.

Barcelona did well against Paris Saint-Germain in the opening half an hour and were the better team, but it all fell apart thereafter once PSG equalised.

They looked lost for the rest of the game with no clear attacking ideas, and in the end, conceded a late winner to drop three points.

Their clash against Sevilla at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan was expected to be their game of revenge, but it turned out to be a far more sour affair as they conceded four times and lost humiliatingly to Sevilla and gave up their spot at the top of the standings.

What was clear across the two games was that Barcelona looked far from their best and were beyond fatigued on the field.

They looked lost for ideas and were outdone and outrun across the 90 minutes.

The international break, thus, was seen as a good chance for them to recover their steam and rejuvenate ahead of a crucial part of the season.

Flick would have undoubtedly reflected on the lacunae in his setup and worked on alternative adjustments, while it is also critical that the players arrive fresh, irrespective of whether or not they served international duty. After all, there is no more time to rest.

Not long to get back on song

Can Barcelona bounce back? (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

The restart of club football once again brings Barcelona back to the hectic schedule they put behind them for two weeks, albeit this time the stakes are far higher.

Flick’s men will undoubtedly look to get back to winning ways later today, but in many ways, they must do so, given that they do not have long before elite opponents enter their path.

The clash against Girona is just the start, for the team hosts Olympiakos midweek before travelling to the Santiago Bernabeu to take on Real Madrid at the weekend.

Also in the near future are Celta Vigo, Athletic Club, and Chelsea, all of whom will be anything but easy.

Barcelona, thus, have barely any time before they find and return to their best. Their clash against Girona may well be their best chance of gathering momentum before El Clasico and all the perils that follow it.