Barcelona Faces Critical Match to Regain Leadership

omidbasir- Tonight, there is no room for error. With significant stakes on the line, Barcelona is in desperate need of a victory to reclaim the leadership position that was temporarily taken by Madrid last Saturday night. The team arrives following a harsh defeat against Atlético de Madrid in the Copa del Rey, marking an uncharacteristic low for coach Hansi Flick, who has never experienced such a loss before. Notably, his team has displayed a troubling tendency to start matches poorly.

Excuses are not an option tonight; anything less than a win to regain the leadership would set off alarm bells at Can Barça. Without a historic comeback, the Copa is effectively lost for the team. If Madrid emerges from this round as leaders, it will be difficult to explain to the ‘soci’ how a criticized white team—having changed coaches and suffered a humiliating exit against a Second Division team—could find itself ahead in the standings. The stakes are clear: either they win or face ominous clouds of trouble.

Meanwhile, Girona is also in a precarious position, needing points to distance themselves from the relegation zone. The club must maintain a sharp focus on defense, which has seen improvement in 2026 despite being one of the most heavily conceding teams, having allowed 37 goals—only surpassed by Sevilla (39) and Levante (38). Historical data shows that Girona has managed to win just one of their last five encounters against Barcelona at Montilivi.

Referee Soto Grado is under scrutiny as well, following the controversies surrounding the Atlético-Barça Copa match, which led to an official complaint from Barcelona to the RFEF regarding perceived injustices that consistently disadvantage them. The events from Saturday at the Bernabéu concerning penalties awarded to Vinícius have further fueled the fire.

Coach Míchel will be without confirmed absences including Ter Stegen, Álex Moreno, and Van de Beek, all sidelined due to injury. Additionally, Ounahi will not be available for selection. Conversely, Hansi Flick has regained Raphinha but will miss Rashford, who joins Gavi, Christensen, and Pedri on the injury list.