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Barcelona and Girona played out a goalless draw at the Camp Nou in La Liga on Monday, April 10.
Barca entered this contest on the back of five consecutive victories in La Liga and were 12 points clear of Real Madrid prior to kick-off. However, Los Blancos humbled them 4-0 in the Copa del Rey semi-finals second leg to knock them out of the competition in their last game.
With just the league to focus on for the remainder of the season, manager Xavi Hernandez and his team were looking to maintain their strong showings. He fielded a slightly changed lineup with key players missing due to injuries.
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Barcelona made a good start to the game and looked fluid going forward as they tried out different formations and combinations. Girona started the game in a composed fashion as well as the two teams went toe-to-toe for the initial exchanges. However, the visitors were not clinical in the final third as they failed to hit the target despite four attempts.
The hosts created several chances to score as Raphinha was at his creative best, making things happen in the final third. He created Barcelona's best chance of the first half, delivering a cross that Ronald Araujo flicked towards the goal. Girona custodian Paulo Gazzaniga did really well using both hands to prevent the entire ball from crossing the line.
The hosts carried momentum heading into the break as they dominated possession to end the first half, but the teams were deadlocked at 0-0.
The possession stats remained relatively the same for the second period as Barcelona continued to keep the ball for longer than Girona. Despite firing eight attempts at Gazzaniga's goal in the second period, the hosts were unable to get on the scoresheet as they hit the target just once. The visitors, on the other hand, failed to hit the target throughout the game.
Xavi made three changes in a bid to grab the lead late in the game but the substitutes were unable to make the desired impact. The game ended in a goalless draw, sending Barcelona 13 points clear at the top of La Liga.
On that note, let's take a look at how their players fared.
Barcelona Player Ratings
Marc-Andre ter Stegen - 7/10
Ter Stegen had a relatively stress-free first half as Girona created chances but failed to hit the target despite four attempts. He did not need to make any saves in the second half either and played 11 accurate long balls.
Jules Kounde - 7.5/10
Kounde was active down the entirety of the right flank as the covered defensively while offering adequate offensive support. He won seven duels, making two tackles, two clearances, and one interception. He also played one key pass and attempted two shots but failed to hit the target.
Ronald Araujo - 7.5/10
Araujo made a good start to the game and distributed the ball well. He played one key pass, one long ball, and one cross and won four duels. The Uruguayan was equally active in the attacking third as he attempted three shots and came closest to scoring for Barcelona with a glancing header in the first half.
Eric Garcia - 7/10
Garcia looked composed on defense and worked well in tandem with Araujo. He won four duels, making one clearance and one tackle. Garcia completed 87 passes, including eight long balls.
Alejandro Balde - 7/10
Balde almost played as a left winger in a bid to give Barcelona added width while attacking. He won seven duels, making three tackles in the process. He also played two crosses and one long ball.
Sergi Roberto - 6.5/10
Sergi Roberto made a decent start to the game and passed the ball with 94% accuracy. He also won two duels, making two tackles and one interception, and was subbed off at the interval.
Sergio Busquets - 8/10
The veteran Spaniard looked composed in the middle of the park and put in a good performance. He won all four of his duels, making four interceptions, three tackles, and two clearances. Busquets also played two key passes and eight long balls.
Gavi - 6.5/10
Gavi was combative as usual and covered tremendous ground across several parts of the pitch. He won nine duels, making three tackles in the process. He also played two key passes and attempted two shots, hitting the target once.
Raphinha - 7.5/10
Raphinha made a positive start to the game and demanded the ball every time he found himself in space. His creativity helped Barcelona find space to attack Girona's goal. He played four key passes, five crosses, and two long balls. The Brazilian also attempted three shots, hitting the target just once.
Ansu Fati - 7/10
Fati was active in the final third for Barcelona and even had two first-half chances but failed to hit the target. He passed the ball with 88% accuracy, including two key passes, one cross, and two long balls. He was subbed off midway through the second period.
Robert Lewandowski - 7/10
Lewandowski looked slightly rusty early on as he gave away possession cheaply a few times and failed to hit the target despite two attempts in the first half. He saw one attempt drift wide in the second half while another was blocked. However, the Pole helped facilitate play, winning seven duels and playing three key passes.
Substitutes
Franck Kessie - 6.5/10
Kessie came on at half-time and played well. He won two of his three duels, making two tackles.
Ferran Torres - 6.5/10
Torres replaced Fati in the second half and put in a decent performance.
Jordi Alba - 6/10
Alba came on late in the game and put in an unconvincing performance.
