Girona – Barcelona: Nothing Stops In Hansi Flick’s Way (1-4)

Revenge is a dish best served cold. That was the case when Barcelona retaliated to last season's loss against Girona, scoring four goals with mercy. Verticality, offside trap, and high press were Hansi Flick's keys to keep his record without defeat.

Tactical analysis and match report by Achraf Lamdarhri

Girona emerged as one of the surprise packages of European football last season, securing the third spot in La Liga behind Barcelona and qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history. Girona upset the Catalan neighbor in both fixtures, exacerbating Barcelona's situation and contributing to Xavi Hernández's downfall.

Barcelona faced Girona’s new look, as the club saw players going out and others coming in. Artem Dovbyk, the league's top scorer last season, landed in Roma, whilst Manchester City invested its cash in winger Savinho. Bayer Leverkusen brought in midfielder Aleix Garcia and right back, Yan Couto joined Borussia Dortmund. Girona's squad enhancements included Abel Ruiz, Bryan Gil, Arnaut Danjuma, and Donny van de Beek.

Barcelona, with Hansi Flick, looked to hit two birds with one stone as they sought revenge and their fifth consecutive win in the league. The team with the new manager appeared to be sharp as Dani Olmo, the new signing, hit the ground running when he scored in his first two games. Not only that, but Raphinha seemed to be living his honeymoon days, and Lamine Yamal continued to astonish with his astounding performances on the right flank. In addition, Robert Lewandowski brought back his glory days, with Hansi Flick revealing his intention to claim LaLiga top scorer again . . .