Good for Chelsea: Barcelona’s double injury blow vs Girona

Monday, 26 February 2018

On March 14, Barcelona host Chelsea in their Champions League last-16 second-leg at the Camp Nou.

Last week’s first-leg at Stamford Bridge ended in a stalemate.

ALSO READ: Madrid offer Chelsea three stars players in exchange for Hazard

After Willian had twice hit the post in the first half, the Brazilian broke the deadlock in the second period.

But Leo Messi levelled for Barca after mistakes in the Chelsea backline gifted the visitors an equaliser.

Barcelona’s double injury blow

On Saturday night in Spain, Barcelona were back in domestic action as Girona came to town.

Barca won the match with ease, but it came at a cost in the second half.

Ernesto Valverde lost two players to injury: Gerard Pique and Nelson Semedo.

Pique was subbed out the match in the 64th minute for Thomas Vermaelen.

The Spanish international centre-half has been struggling with injury problems for a while, and his exit against Girona was another sign that he’s struggling for full fitness.

Valverde went on to make three subs in the match before he was left to see out the game with just ten men.

That’s after Nelson Semedo hobbled out of the match with a bad looking injury.

Will Pique and Semedo be healthy for the Chelsea match?

Barcelona 6 – Girona 1


Poor Girona were in the wrong place at the wrong time on Saturday night in Barcelona.

Perhaps they should have avoided stirring the hornet’s nest by taking the lead in the Camp Nou?

Girona took the lead after just three minutes through their excellent midfielder Cristian Portu.

Barcelona pulled level within two minutes. Leo Messi released Luis Saurez for the Uruguayan’s 18th goal of the La Liga season.

After setting up his team mats, it was Messi’s turn to return to centre-stage.

Barcelona’s iconic number 10 scored the go-ahead goal with a moment of single-minded brilliance.

Releasing he could beat one defender down the outside to score, Messi opted to turn inside, run against three Girona defenders, before planting a shot into the corner of the net.

Six minutes later Messi had his second of the night with another memorable goal.

Showing off his football genius, Messi fired a free-kick under the jumping Girona wall, to score from 25-yards out.

The half ended on a bum note for Girona as Philippe Coutinho set up his former Liverpool team mate Suarez for a killer fourth.

The goals kept flowing for Barca after the break. Philippe Coutinho curled home a stunner to add a fifth for the Catalans.

Luis Suarez chimed in with his second and Barca’s sixth in the 76th minute.

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