Barcelona keep their pursuit of Real Madrid atop of the LaLiga table. With a two-point deficit, the ‘Cules‘ have no room for error as they face Girona on Matchday 24. However, that makes it all the more concerning to see names like Pedri, Polish striker Robert Lewandowski and Marcus Rashford not playing.
The reality is two of the players are unavailable due to injuries. For Pedri, he is still dealing with a muscle injury in his right hamstring. His return date is scheduled for February 22, for the match against Levante. Pedri suffered the injury after the match against Slavia Praha on January 21st.
As for Rashford, he is nursing a knee injury. Per manager Hansi Flick, “Marcus is feeling better.” However, the German coach won’t risk him until he is fully fit to come back to play. He is scheduled to come back on the same date as Pedri, according to Rotowire. Lewandowski is on the bench due to a tactical decision by Hansi Flick.
Both Rashford and Pedri’s absences by the numbers
Rashford has started 13 of 21 games where he’s played. He has 10 G+A this year in LaLiga. That translates to 0.72 goal involvements per 90 minutes played. Rashford is a very reliable option for Barcelona as well. He can play wide left, wide right, or as a classic number nine.
Pedri’s numbers are not as flashy, as he has just seven G+A in LaLiga this season, though he has played in 16 games. However, Pedri’s relevance goes way beyond just his output. He has made the LaLiga ‘Team of the Week‘ four times, and creates big chances, as he averages 2.4 key passes per game and completes 91% of his passes.
Are Girona a threat to Barcelona?
Girona shouldn’t be much of a dangerous opponent to Barça. As a matter of fact, Girona are 15th on the table and battling relegation. They haven’t won in three games, and have the third-worst home record in Spain this season. At home, they’ve conceded 18 goals and scored just 10 in 11 games.
Hence, Barcelona should be able to get three points, as they are the second-best away team in LaLiga. Barcelona have won eight and tied one game out of the 12 played away from their stadium. When being the visiting side, Barcelona have scored 29 goals, though they have received 18. Still, having Lewandowski as an option straight from the bench is a luxury many teams would love to have, just in case Barça need a clinical striker to solve any offensive issues.