"Fran Beltrán struck an 86th-minute winner as Girona secured a surprise 2-1 win at Montilivi just days after Barça were thumped 4-0 by Atlético Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal. Lamenting a second-straight defeat, Barça coach Hansi Flick said his players are tired after a gruelling run of 13 games in 44 days ended with Real Madrid leapfrogging them in the league."
"Flick hopes the time will serve to reenergise his squad and to recover injured players Pedri, [Marcus] Rashford and Gavi. "The players are really tired," Flick added. "We will fight. We have time to come back now in the next two weeks, no midweek games, we will train good. "Hopefully next week we have more players. Pedri and Marcus Rashford [are close]. Gavi will start training with the team. Step by step. We can play on another level.""
Barcelona's players received two days off after an 86th-minute Fran Beltrán strike gave Girona a surprise 2-1 win, costing Barcelona top spot in LaLiga. The defeat followed a 4-0 Copa del Rey loss to Atlético Madrid and capped a gruelling run of 13 games in 44 days. Real Madrid moved two points clear at the summit and the two clubs will meet in a potential title-deciding Clásico in May. Barcelona will have two free midweeks after progressing in the Champions League, and coach Hansi Flick expects the break to aid recovery and reenergise injured players Pedri, Marcus Rashford and Gavi.
Read at ESPN.com
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