Is Raphinha playing today? Predicted lineups for Girona vs. Barcelona in LaLiga clash

After the painful defeat against Atlético Madrid, Barcelona are looking to turn around their poor run of form by beating Girona in LaLiga. Ahead of the match, fans are closely watching whether Raphinha will be part of the starting lineup, as Hansi Flick announced his return to training.

While Barcelona had established themselves as one of the best teams in Spain, they suffered a heavy 4–0 defeat to Atlético Madrid, raising doubts about the team’s competitiveness. In an effort to bounce back, the Blaugranas face Girona in LaLiga, aiming for a convincing victory. For this reason, supporters are paying close attention to Raphinha’s potential inclusion in the starting lineup, after Hansi Flick revealed that he has returned to training.

Due to muscle overload issues, Raphinha missed Barcelona’s last three matches. However, coach Flick confirmed that the Brazilian is fully fit and included in today’s matchday squad. Despite this, his place in the starting eleven is not guaranteed, as he is only just returning from injury and could be eased back gradually. Nonetheless, the 29-year-old star is expected to get some minutes on the pitch today.

Having suffered a heavy defeat, coach Hansi Flick may opt for a lineup change, betting again on Dani Olmo and Frenkie de Jong in the midfield. Then, Ferran Torres could take the left winger role, enhancing the strategy and scoring prowess. Moreover, Lamine Yamal may play a pivotal role alongside Robert Lewandowski in the offense. With this in mind, Barcelona arrive as clear favorites to clinch a victory in today’s game.

Unlike the Blaugranas, Girona are not in top form, having managed just one win in their last four La Liga matches. In addition, coach Míchel does not have a deep squad at his disposal, leaving him with limited options to change the game from the bench. On top of that, they have struggled to regain their scoring threat, ranking among the league’s lowest-scoring teams, in contrast to Barcelona, who lead the competition in this area.

Girona predicted lineup vs. Barcelona

With the aim of turning around their inconsistent season, Girona face Barcelona while fielding their strongest possible starting lineup. However, they will be without Juan Carlos, Marc-André ter Stegen, Donny van de Beek, Portu, and Álex Moreno. Despite this, coach Míchel is expected to rely on Bryan Gil, Thomas Lemar, and Viktor Tsygankov to lead the attack. Alongside them, Claudio Echeverri could play an important role off the bench.

Considering this, Girona could play as follows: Paulo Gazzaniga; Hugo Rincón, Vitor Reis, Daley Blind, Arnau Martinez; Fran Beltran, Iván Martin; Victor Tsygankov, Thomas Lemar, Bryan Gil; Vladyslav Vanat.

Barcelona predicted lineup vs. Girona

Even though Raphinha has returned to the squad, Barcelona will be missing four key players: Andreas Christensen, Pablo Gavi, Pedri, and Marcus Rashford. Despite these absences, coach Hansi Flick still has crucial figures like Lamine Yamal, Fermín López, and Frenkie de Jong to lead the team. Additionally, Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski are expected to play significant roles in bolstering the Blaugranas’ attacking threat.

With this in mind, Barcelona could lineup as follows: Joan Garcia; Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Ronald Araujo, Alejando Balde; Frenkie de Jong, Dani Olmo; Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Ferran Torres; Robert Lewandowski.