Barcelona

Pedri started on the bench as Xavi rotated his lineup ahead of a week with games against Real Betis and Sevilla.

With what we saw on the field the defeat is not fair.” Pedri started on the bench as Xavi rotated his lineup ahead of a week with games against Real Betis and Sevilla. Girona, in 12th place, did nothing in attack until a late push. Pedri marked his 100th Barcelona appearance at the ripe age of 20 by scoring as a substitute to squeeze past Girona 1-0 on Saturday. Girona held the league front-runner in check until Pedri's fellow substitute, Jordi Alba, found him with a low cross at close range in the 61st. Pedri did so at 20 years, 2 months, 3 days.

Denis Suarez has had a tough season at Celta Vigo. After falling out with hierarchy at the club, the former Barcelona youngster has not made a single ...

However, the midfielder will be going to Espanyol, who are one of their relegation rivals. Diego Martinez’s side have picked up their form in recent weeks, although they did lose to Almeria on Friday night. Denis Suarez has had a tough season at Celta Vigo.

There was much excitement when Sergio Aguero left Manchester City to join Barcelona in the summer of 2021. The Argentine had an incredibly prolific spell at ...

Fittingly, he appeared for Ecuadorian side Barcelona SC in a friendly against Mushuc Runa on Sunday morning. There was much excitement when Sergio Aguero left Manchester City to join Barcelona in the summer of 2021. However, he ended up scoring just once in five games, as a heart condition forced Aguero into retirement.

GIRONA : Pedri celebrated his 100th match for Barcelona as he came off the bench and scored from close range in the second-half to give the LaLiga leaders a ...

Girona are 12th on 21 points. Advertisement

Pedri, making his 100th Barcelona appearance, carried his side to a 1-0 win over mid-table Girona to extend their lead at the top of La Liga to six points ...

His tap-in was the only goal in a tricky contest for Barcelona away at Girona. Jordi Alba found him with a driven cross, the ball bouncing off the goalkeeper's arms and onto the Barca wonderkid's right foot, and he couldn't miss from a yard out. The Barcelona midfielder snuck in behind a Girona defender, ghosting into a pocket of space at the far post.

Barcelona rode their luck in picking up a third consecutive 1-0 La Liga win. The Athletic looks at the major talking points from the match.

The former [Manchester City](https://theathletic.com/football/team/manchester-city/) defender made his first league start in three months and looked strong. [Gavi](https://theathletic.com/football/player/gavi-9ACowrmXJKJKTUi5/). [Ansu Fati](https://theathletic.com/football/player/ansu-fati-BOx4DfG7j2tKSfEN/) in a central position normally occupied by the suspended [Robert Lewandowski](https://theathletic.com/football/player/robert-lewandowski-1zm2L0TuehI6gx0H/). He started the game as an attacking midfielder and ended up as a false nine — further proof of the squad problems Xavi had ahead of this game. In any phase of the match, though, Barcelona’s play improves if the ball is at his feet. Xavi saw the team needed a greater threat, and Alba was introduced in his place. Dembele’s injury played a role in it, for sure, and the Catalans tried to push through Raphinha on the other side. In the second half we needed something else there and Jordi Alba was very good.” Their passing accuracy in the final third, as well as the number of fouls won and fouls conceded has also worsened in his absence. “It’s impossible not to notice when you miss a player like Lewandowski,” Xavi said after the Girona win. It is fair to say he was one of his side’s worst performers, and will have done little to address concerns he is not living up to his significant price tag of last summer (£55m). The manager insisted on Friday that “Rapha will be important, we need every player”, but the 26-year-old did not impress.