Girona and Barcelona, third and second with 71 and 73 points, respectively, face each other this Saturday in the Catalan derby of the thirty-fourth day with their sights set on second position and the last ticket to travel to Saudi Arabia to play the next Spanish Super Cup.
Out of the Champions League and without options in the League after their defeat at the Bernabeu, Barça has the only incentive of being runners-up, against a team that beat them 2-4 in the first round in one of the team's most complete matches. by Michel Sánchez.
Xavi was finally able to include Vitor Roque on the squad list, absent from the last training session due to a viral illness. The long-term injured Gavi and Balde will not be there, as well as Frenkie de Jong
The eleven of FC Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Koundé, Araújo, Cubarsí, Cancelo; Christensen, Gündogan, Sergi Roberto; Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski and Fermín.
Xavi Hernández's team will not allow too many modifications from the one against Valencia (4-2), a match in which Robert Lewandowski, author of a hat-trick, especially shone. He already has 16 goals in the League and is immersed in the fight for the top scorer that Artem Dovbyk of Girona holds precisely with 19 goals. A pulse of 'killers' with five days ahead.
In defense, Cubarsí and Araújo are consolidated in the axis, the controversial Cancelo is the owner of the left side and Koundé the usual one on the right.
Christensen, converted from a center back to a center midfielder, will once again be in front of the defense and shielded by Gündogan and Sergi Roberto, negotiating for his Barça renewal and with Girona interested in his signing.
Up front, no changes are expected either, with the trio formed by Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski and Fermín, one of the best Barça players in this final stretch of the season.
Montilivi's team, immersed in the best year in its history, has already sealed its European qualification, two weeks ago against Cádiz (4-1), and finishing in the top five, a week ago against Las Palmas (0-2 ). Now he wants to certify his participation in the Champions League.
Qualification for the highest continental competition will be a reality if Girona equals or improves the victory of the Basques in this Friday's duel in Getafe. Míchel was surprised without Yan Couto and with Tsygankov in the eleven.
Girona's eleven: Gazzaniga; Eric García, David Lopez, Blind, Miguel; Aleix García, Yangel, Iván Martín; Tsygankov, Dobvyk and Savinho.
The rojiblancos, in only their fourth year in the elite, have broken all expectations and all their records: there are five games left and they already have 20 more points than in their best season in First Division (51, 2017-2018). But neither the team nor the city want to stop there. Just one step away from securing the Champions League, there is still room to get excited about the Super Cup.
The precedents, four victories for Barça, two draws and a victory for Girona, suggest that it will not be easy, but the victory was in the last duel: in December and by 2-4, with goals from Artem Dovbyk (19) - top scorer ahead of Jude Bellingham and Alexander Sorloth (17) and Robert Lewandowski (16) -, Miguel Gutiérrez, Valery Fernández and Cristhian Stuani.
The three games in Montilivi have ended in a Barça victory, although with an increasingly smaller margin: 0-3 in 2017, 0-2 in 2019 and 0-1 in 2023. And this season the red-and-white stadium is a fortress: Girona, Undefeated at home since September, they have won four at home and have a record of 14 wins in 17 games at Montilivi.
Míchel will not be able to count on Jhon Solís, who will miss the rest of the season due to a muscle injury to his left quadriceps, Cristhian Stuani and Borja García, who are injured, nor Pablo Torre, due to the 'fear clause'.
