La Liga Preview: Barcelona Looks to Avenge Girona Double Defeat

Barcelona, led by Hansi Flick, will face Girona on Sunday in a Catalan derby, aiming for a fifth consecutive win in La Liga to start the season.

In the previous season, Girona stunned Barcelona twice, securing 4-2 victories at both home and away matches. Girona, in their fourth season in La Liga, finished third, just behind Barcelona. For a significant part of the season, Barcelona watched as Girona contended with Real Madrid for the top spot. Girona's second win over Barcelona contributed to Madrid's 36th league title.

Since then, Barcelona has undergone changes with Flick replacing Xavi as coach. Barcelona, now led by teenage star Lamine Yamal, new addition Dani Olmo, and veteran striker Robert Lewandowski, has won all four of their opening matches, maintaining a 100 percent record in La Liga.

Girona, however, has lost key players Artem Dovbyk and Savinho, and coach Michel Sanchez is still working to integrate new players. Following a 3-0 defeat by Atletico, Girona bounced back with 4-0 and 2-0 victories over Osasuna and Sevilla, respectively.

Girona's sporting director Quique Carcel acknowledged the challenging transfer market, stating, "It was a difficult market because we had an excellent season, we knew it could be a long window. We did what we had planned, which was to think about the players who might leave -- we had planned for some of them. We looked for profiles which, with our style of play, the coach needed... we are happy with the squad we have."

New signings for Girona include Arnaut Danjuma, Bryan Gil, Abel Ruiz, Donny van de Beek, and Oriol Romeu on loan from Barcelona. However, Romeu cannot play against his parent club due to a clause in the loan agreement, and Yangel Herrera is also uncertain for the match.

Flick has a lengthy injury list but expects playmaker Olmo to be available despite a recent injury while playing for Spain. Barcelona's morale remains high following a 7-0 win over Valladolid before the international break. Gavi's partial return to training after a prolonged injury absence is also a positive development.

Barcelona midfielder Pedri commented, "We work much harder than before. The team doesn't dip after the 70th or 80th minute, it maintains the same fitness levels."

Real Madrid, expected to easily defend their title after signing Kylian Mbappe, will face Real Sociedad on Saturday, having drawn their first two matches and not yet finding their best form.

Player to Watch: Julian Alvarez

Atletico Madrid's new signing from Manchester City, Julian Alvarez, has yet to score but will aim to find the net against bottom-placed Valencia, who have lost three of their opening four La Liga matches.