FC Barcelona secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Girona at Montjuïc Olympic Stadium, reclaiming the La Liga lead with 25 points.
Despite an injury crisis sidelining Robert Lewandowski, Dani Olmo, and Ferran Torres, Hansi Flick’s side showed resilience in a tense Catalan derby.
Pedri opened the scoring with a precise strike, capitalizing on a Frenkie de Jong assist, but Girona fought back with Alex Witsel equalizing through a well-timed bicycle kick, exploiting Barcelona’s shaky offside trap.
The match seemed destined for a draw until Ronald Araujo, returning from injury, powered home a late header to clinch the win, masking Barcelona’s struggles with non-clinical finishing and defensive lapses while highlighting their depth and grit ahead of El Clasico.
Here are the Barcelona player ratings:
Wojciech Szczesny (6.5/10)
Szczesny made a crucial early save to deny Girona’s best chance, providing stability in Joan Garcia’s absence.
His distribution was shaky, leading to a needless turnover that sparked Girona’s equalizer.
Jules Koundé (7/10)
Koundé was solid at right-back, winning key tackles and overlapping effectively to support Rashford.
A momentary lapse in concentration allowed Girona’s counter, but he recovered well to limit damage.
Eric Garcia (6/10)
Garcia anchored the center with composed defending, breaking up several Girona advances.
His positioning was off for the visitors’ goal, exposing Barcelona’s high line to quick transitions.
Pau Cubarsí (7.5/10)
The young center-back was exceptional, reading plays brilliantly and making a game-saving block late on.
Cubarsí’s composure belied his age, forming a strong partnership with Garcia amid the injury crisis.
Frenkie de Jong (8/10)
De Jong dominated midfield, dictating tempo with precise distribution and breaking lines effectively.
His vision set up Rashford’s opener, proving indispensable in controlling the game’s flow.
Marc Casado (7/10)
Casado provided energy in the double pivot, winning duels and shielding the defense admirably.
A rare error led to a turnover, but his work rate helped Barcelona regain control post-equalizer.
Pedri (8.5/10)
Pedri orchestrated from advanced midfield, threading key balls and maintaining possession under pressure, and scored the opening goal.
He faded slightly in the second half but recovered to assist Yamal’s decisive strike.
Lamine Yamal (7.5/10)
Yamal dazzled with his dribbling, creating space and delivering the winner with a sublime curler.
Despite a recent injury, his flair terrorized Girona’s left, earning him man of the match honors.
Marcus Rashford (7.5/10)
Rashford led the line effectively on loan, scoring the opener and holding up play against Girona’s backline.
His work rate pressed high, but he missed a sitter early, highlighting finishing concerns.
Toni Fernandez (6/10)
The 17-year-old made his full debut up front, pressing relentlessly and winning four duels, forcing a turnover that sparked Rashford’s opener.
His finishing was raw, missing a one-on-one late on, but his work rate and hold-up play justified Flick’s bold call on him as a false nine.
Substitutes:
Fermin Lopez (6/10)
Fresh from injury, Lopez added bite with pressing and a near-goal, injecting vitality into the attack.
His enthusiasm disrupted Girona, though he lacked end product in the final third.
Gerard Martin (7/10)
Martin was reliable at left-back, completing 85% of his passes and making three tackles to neutralize Girona’s wide threats.
He struggled with overlapping runs, losing possession twice in dangerous areas, which exposed Barcelona’s high line to counters.
Roony Bardghji (7.5/10)
Bardghji brought energy on the right wing after coming on as a substitute, creating two chances with his dribbling and delivering a teasing cross that led to Yamal’s winner.
His inexperience showed in a few lost duels, but his pace troubled Girona’s left-back, marking a promising cameo in his first senior start.
Ronald Araujo (8/10)
Coming off the bench, Araujo delivered the decisive moment with a powerful late header to secure Barcelona’s 2-1 victory over Girona, showcasing his aerial prowess and clutch mentality.
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