Barcelona have a score to settle with Girona boss Michel after last season | OneFootball

When Barcelona face Girona this Sunday, the team will have a score to settle, as the clash between these two sides became something of a troubled fixture for Barcelona supporters last season.

The 2023/24 season was filled with setbacks for Barça, and perhaps the most emblematic of their frustrations came in the match against Girona.

While the defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals was heart-wrenching, the 2-4 defeat against Girona was equally painful for its sheer display of inadequacy.

Girona troubled Barcelona at home

The match at Montjuic saw Girona’s vibrant, attacking football overwhelm Barcelona. Despite Barcelona’s dominance for large parts of the game, Girona’s dynamic and aggressive play was too much for Xavi’s side to handle.

Miguel Gutierrez was particularly troublesome, exploiting the left flank and creating numerous problems that Barcelona failed to address.

Barcelona lost both games against Girona last season. (Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images)

Girona’s attacking force included Savinho, Artem Dobvyk, Ivan Martin, Aleix, and Gutiérrez himself. Christian Stuani’s goal, which came in the added minutes in the second half, sealed a 4-2 victory for Girona and was met with stunned silence from the home fans, only broken by the ecstatic cheers of Girona’s fans.

Under Míchel’s management, Girona proved that their impressive start to the season was no fluke. They repeated their success later in the season at Montilivi, again beating Barcelona 4-2.

This time, Barcelona initially led 1-2, only for Girona to stage a dramatic comeback with three goals in just nine minutes.

As Barcelona head to Girona this Sunday, they are eager to rectify the previous disappointments. There is a sense of unfinished business and a need to repay their fans for the past letdowns.

Girona’s Montilivi stadium will undoubtedly be a fiery venue, but this time, Barcelona arrives with renewed confidence. Hansi Flick’s team is in much better form and ready for a fierce and thrilling contest.