Barcelona travels to Girona’s Estadi Montilivi on Monday, February 16, 2026, for a La Liga clash with significant implications for the league title race. The match, scheduled for a 9pm CET kickoff, comes after a bruising 4-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg and a weekend where Real Madrid temporarily seized the top spot in La Liga with a victory over Real Sociedad.
Barcelona currently sits second in the league with 58 points from 23 matches played, trailing Real Madrid by two points, though Madrid have played one more game. Girona, meanwhile, occupies the 15th position with 26 points, battling to distance themselves from the relegation zone. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 in the United States, Premier Sports 1 in the UK, and SuperSport in Nigeria, among other outlets.
The Catalan derby presents a challenging fixture for Hansi Flick’s Barcelona, particularly given a growing list of absentees. Gavi, Pedri, Marcus Rashford, and Andreas Christensen are all confirmed to be out of contention. Girona will also be without several key players, including Juan Carlos, Donny van de Beek, Portu, Marc-André ter Stegen, and Álex Moreno, with Azzedine Ounahi listed as doubtful.
Barcelona’s recent league form has been strong, with four wins and one loss in their last five matches. Girona, however, has shown marked improvement in 2026, securing three wins, two draws, and only one defeat in their last six games. This resurgence under coach Míchel has provided a significant boost to their survival hopes.
The Estadi Montilivi has proven a tough venue for Barcelona in recent years, particularly on Mondays. Historically, Barcelona has struggled in previous Monday fixtures against Girona, failing to win any of the three prior encounters. However, they have won their last three overall meetings against Girona, including a late 2-1 victory earlier this season at the Estadi Lluís Companys, decided by a 93rd-minute goal from Ronald Araujo.
The referee for the match will be César Soto Grado, with David Gálvez Rascón serving as the VAR official. The stakes are high for both sides, with Barcelona aiming to reclaim the league lead and Girona striving to solidify their position in the top flight. A win for Girona could significantly boost their relegation battle, while a victory for Barcelona would send a strong message following their Copa del Rey setback.
Barcelona’s projected starting lineup is Joan; Kounde, Cubarsí, Eric, Balde; De Jong, Bernal; Yamal, Fermín, Ferran; Lewandowski. Girona is expected to field Gazzaniga; Rincón, Reis, Blind, Arnau; Beltrán, Martín; Tsygankov, Lemar, Gil; Vanat.
