La Liga: Barcelona Derby is Made for Messi

Girona vs Barcelona

Barcelona take the short trip to Girona on Sunday for a crunch derby clash with neighbours Girona, and the stage is set for Lionel Messi.

Twenty-two players will cross the white line, of course, but the eyes of the world will be on Barca’s talisman, not only because he is very likely to score, but because his team has recently struggled a little without him. Messi became the first player to reach the 400-goal milestone in La Liga a couple of weeks ago, but he has been rested since then, appearing briefly to win a game against Leganes.

Barca lost in the Copa without him, but I expect him to start this big game with league business back on the agenda. The champions are five points clear at the top of the league, but La Liga 2019 betting odds will take a shift if Girona spring a major surprise, as Barca’s lead at the top could be down to two points.

Eusebio’s Girona made a strong start to the season but have found wins hard to come by recently, so a home win at the Municipal de Montilivi would send some shock waves around European football.

Talking Points

Has Stuani had his head turned?

Girona’s own main man, striker Cristhian Stuani, is in the La Liga 2019 news. Having another impressive season, the Uruguayan already has 12 league goals from 17 appearances and has been the subject of serious speculation around a possible move to Barcelona. The 32-year-old apparently has a €15m release clause in his contract, and that now seems a little low. Stuani struggled to impress in his time with a relegated Middlesbrough side in the Premier League, but it’s been a different story since his arrival in Spain. Twenty-one-year-old midfielder Aleix Garcia, on loan from sister club Manchester City, has weighed in with two, but Girona would be in deep trouble without Stuani’s goals.

Eusebio’s side lost away to Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey quarter-final first leg on Thursday after a late onslaught from Los Blancos, but they did put Atletico out in the last round after drawing the second leg in Madrid 3-3. That quarter-final tie isn’t over, but it’s a big uphill task for the Catalans.

And the Blanquivermell are looking nervously over their shoulders: while they sit in 12^th place, a winless streak going back to November has left them just four points above the drop zone.

Juanpe and Bernardo Espinosa are doing a sound job in defence alongside skipper Pedro Alcala. Despite their difficult run, Girona have still only conceded 26 goals in 20 games. They will need to be at their best on Sunday, but it’s at the other end of the pitch where Eusebio has his problems.

Valverde likes to shuffle his pack

Barcelona are unbeaten in La Liga since November — FC Barcelona’s coach Ernesto Valverde smiles during the La Liga match vs Leganes

Ernesto Valverde rested some players for last week’s La Liga tussle with Leganes but had to bring Leo Messi and Ivan Rakitic on to win the game after the Madrid side had matched Barca in the first hour. And then Barcelona lost 2-0 away to Sevilla in the Copa del Rey quarter-final first leg on Wednesday night. The boss rested a lot of his top players, Messi included, and admitted that you take risks when you make big changes. Against a side with the attacking threat of the likes of Wissam Ben Yedder, then it’s a serious risk indeed.

Overturning a two-goal deficit won’t be easy, but it’s back to league matters now; with the big guns, Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele ready to fire, the league leaders are on the hunt for an eighth successive league win.

History

In the five games contested over the past 12 years, Barca won four and the other match was drawn, and that was earlier this season. Girona stunned the champions by drawing 2-2 at the Camp Nou with two goals from Cristhian Stuani, and Barcelona finished with ten men after defender Clement Lenglet was sent off in the first half.

Messi has scored in each of Barca’s last six league games, and I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t make it seven in seven.

Shot-shy Girona have drawn five of their last six home matches, four of them 1-1, and only won two in 15 at home. But the hosts are unbeaten in seven at the Municipal de Montilivi.

Betting Tip

	Girona vs Barcelona	Barcelona -1.50 @ 1.94
	January 27, 23:15(GMT+8)

Eusebio’s team have become draw specialists and aren’t easy to beat at home, and they will make it as hard as possible for their visitors with a derby atmosphere.

The SBOBET odds on Girona with that +1.50 start are at 1.80, but I fear a Barca backlash after the Copa disappointment in Seville, and the big players will be right up for this game.