December has begun with two massive Liga games for FC Barcelona against direct rivals at the top of the table. They got the job done in the first, beating Atlético Madrid 1-0, and on Sunday at 9pm CET (click here for international kick-off times) they will once again have home advantage as they take on second placed Girona.
And what a game it promises to be. The fellow Catalan side are having a season like none they have had before and are currently riding high in second place, with only goal difference separating them from leaders Real Madrid (the only side, to date, to have beaten them this season).
Although their respective cities are just 100km apart, there is very little history between Barça and Girona. For most of their existence, the latter had been a fairly ordinary lower league outfit, with realistic aspirations of ever being anything else.
But how all that has changed in the last few years, with the club reaching the dizzy heights of La Liga. And this season they have taken things up to an extraordinary level, getting their campaign off to the kind of start reserved only for the very best.
One thing is patently clear. While Girona would normally be the kind of side that the big teams would be fairly confident of beating, right now they are an opponent to be very worried about indeed. Their three previous trips to FC Barcelona have already seen them nick a couple of draws. This time they are hoping to come away with even more.
Barça need to make sure that doesn't happen. And it's going to be a fascinating challenge. This Sunday's game has become one of the most eagerly-awaited in the whole championship.
Last time we met
An entertaining but goalless encounter on Easter Monday at Spotify Camp Nou was still enough to extend Barça's lead at the top of Liga to 13 points after Real Madrid had been beaten the day before. After that, it was no longer a question of if but when Barça would clinch the league title, which they ultimately did just a few weeks later.
How it stands
No matter what happens in today's game, Girona will still be ahead of Barça in the table, for the difference between them is currently four points. But, of course, there is a huge difference between winning this fixture and closing the gap to one point than losing it and seeing the gap open up to seven. It's not called a six-pointer for nothing!
And both sides' causes have been helped by Real Betis holding leaders Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw on Saturday. That result means Barça could close the gap on Madrid to just two points with a win on Sunday, but Girona will be eyeing the opportunity to go two points clear at the top.
Team news
FC Barcelona
Iñaki Peña will once again be standing in for Ter Stegen in goal, with the German having undergone back surgery this week. But the replacement stopper has done a fabulous job in since stepping in, and coach Xavi insisted this week that the club is not planning to use the winter transfer window to sign any additional cover between the Barça sticks.
Gavi is out for the long run, while further injury concerns for Xavi were confirmed as both Iñigo Martínez and Marcos Alonso missed out. Here is the 20 player squad for the match.
Girona
Meanwhile, Girona have a number of worries of their own, with Borja García, Toni Villa, Joel Roca, Jastin, Artero and Yangel Herrera all unfit. Venezuelan midfielder Herrera is an especially worrying absence for them, and they have counted out the option of playing Barça loanee Pablo Torre in his place. Because of a clause in his loan contract, Girona would need to pay a fee in order to play him against his parent club, an option that they have decided not to take.
However, there is no such clause preventing another loanee, Eric Garcia, from lining up against Barça,
Xavi says
"Girona are surprising a lot of people" said the coach the day before the match. "But we aren't surprised at all to see them joint top of the table. They play really well. Míchel is a great coach and their system has a lot in common with our own. We have a difficult opponent to face, whose confidence is sky-high. They'll make it hard for us, but we won't change our approach, we'll be valiant and will take the game to them."