April 10, 2023 - Matchplug Blog

Barcelona vs Girona: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Barcelona will welcome fellow Catalan side Girona to Camp Nou on Monday for the 28th Round of the 2022/23 La Liga season.

The league leaders will be hoping to bounce from their astonishing El Clasico defeat in midweek when they host Girona, having suffered a 4-0 loss to Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final. They won the first leg at Santiago Bernabeu 1-0 but were blown away in the second leg by Carlo Ancelotti’s men, who became the first Spanish team to score more than two goals in a single game at Camp Nou this season.

Head Coach Xavi Hernadez will be desperate for his side to perform well on Monday as they target a solid finish to their La Liga campaign. Having been kicked out of every competition this season, winning the league has become Barca’s only priority.

They hold a massive 12-point lead at the top of the table ahead of this weekend’s games, but Xavi has insisted that there are “11 finals left.” He will hope that his men will win the first of those finals against their Catalan rivals Girona on Monday.

The visitors have enjoyed a superb season by their own standards, with their attractive brand of football getting them as much attention as their esteemed neighbours. Girona’s average of 3.11 goals per game is the best in La Liga, while only the top-three clubs have scored more than their 42 goals this season.

Despite this, they aren’t completely clear of relegation, given that they are only seven points above the bottom three coming into this match. Nevertheless, manager Michel will hope his side can continue to pick up points, including in this game against a Barcelona side that has conceded only two goals at home this entire league campaign (W11, D2).

Girona’s recent away from might give their supporters some hope that their team can get something from this tie, while the 14 goals featured in their last three away games will provide neutrals with the belief that another entertaining game will be witnessed at Camp Nou on Monday night.

That said, Barca’s clean sheet record at home in the league suggests that an under 2.5 goals bet will be the best prediction for this game.

Haaland compared to Messi and Ronaldo

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has likened Erling Haaland to five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and his eternal rival Lionel Messi.

The Norwegian striker has been in hot form since joining Man City from Borussia Dortmund last summer. He is already City’s all-time leading goalscorer in a single season, having scored twice in his side’s 4-1 over Southampton on Saturday.

That brace took his tally in the Premier League this season to 30 in only 27 appearances. With nine games still to play in the PL this season, Haaland could score ten more goals, given his current ratio of goals per game.

That would put the Norwegian on 40 goals this season. Should he achieve that, he would smash the existing single-season Premier League record of 32 goals held by Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.

Speaking after the game against Southampton on Saturday, Haaland’s coach Pep Guardiola quickly praised the superstar’s goal-scoring ability, comparing him to Ronaldo and Messi. However, he insisted that the Argentine was a more complete player.

“In terms of the thesis of scoring goals. He’s quite similar in terms of Cristiano, but Messi is the more complete player,” Guardiola explained.

“Messi can play wherever while Cristiano and Erling are machines. Erling knows those two guys dominated over two decades, not just one or two seasons, winning titles and doing everything. Football is a better place for Cristiano and Messi for what they have done for our business and the traction of these two guys competing at the big clubs.

“Erling is arriving in the toughest league in the world. I can talk as I’ve been in other leagues, and doing what he has done is remarkable.”

The Catalan coach worked extensively with Messi at Barca and is better placed than most to directly compare Haaland to the World Cup winner. And according to Pep, it seems that Haaland has the edge on the all-time great in terms of his positive mindset.

“Haaland is always happy, always smiling. Lionel Messi scored two but not three and was a bit sad because he didn’t score the third!” Guardiola explained.

“Erling is all the time in an incredible mood. Even in the bad moments at the beginning of this season, when people said he couldn’t adapt, he arrived at training with a big smile and said hi to everyone. He has had an incredible impact, not just on the pitch.

“Every day in training sessions, in the locker room. I have the feeling that he is so happy with us. He never complains about [being taken off]. He respects me a lot.”

Koulibaly opens up on his future amid uncertainty around Chelsea stay

Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly has insisted he wants to remain at the club despite uncertainty around his future at Stamford Bridge.

The Senegal defender has not enjoyed a comfortable season, with Chelsea struggling. Since joining from Napoli last summer, Koulibaly has played 20 Premier League games as the Blues sit 11th in the table.

The Senegalese centre-back spent eight years at Napoli before switching to Stamford Bridge for a reported 33 million Euro deal. He was one of Todd Boehly’s first signings as Chelsea owner and scored on his home debut against Tottenham.

While he has admitted he has not been in the best form, the defender insists he wants to remain at Chelsea for as long as possible.

“I know I’m not at 100 per cent yet, but I think I’m coming to my level,” he said.

“Chelsea made a big decision to sign me, and there’s a big desire in me to give back. I want to be part of this club for many years. This is not the year Chelsea were expecting, but sometimes when you have big changes, new proprietors, and half the team is new, everybody has to adapt.

“But we know how big the ambition is here, and we’re going to work to win back the confidence of the supporters.”

In his short time at Stamford Bridge, Koulibaly has seen three managerial changes, with Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard all brought in his nine months at the club. He will be hoping that after his side’s 1-0 loss to Wolves in Lampard’s return, his side will be able to get back to form as they target a top-seven finish.

Day: April 10, 2023

Barcelona vs Girona: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Haaland compared to Messi and Ronaldo

Koulibaly opens up on his future amid uncertainty around Chelsea stay

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