As FC Barcelona gears up to face Girona in LaLiga EA Sports on Sunday, December 10, with a kick-off at 3 p.m. ET / noon PT, all eyes are on the selected referee for the fixture, Isidro Díaz de Mera Escuderos. At 34 years old, Díaz de Mera brings his relatively fresh experience to Spain’s top division, having earned his promotion from Segunda División in 2020 after four seasons.
Despite his growing presence in LaLiga, Barcelona fans have expressed their discontent with the appointment of Díaz de Mera as the referee, particularly citing his performance in a previous match between Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano, which some fans believed was poorly officiated.
Valentín Pizarro Gómez will oversee the proceedings in the VAR room for this crucial encounter.
Barcelona’s coach, Xavi, anticipates a challenging clash against Girona, acknowledging their impressive performance and joint position at the top of the table. Xavi commented in his pre-match press conference, “Girona is surprising a lot of people, but we aren’t surprised at all to see them joint top of the table. They play really well.” Xavi emphasized the similarity in playing styles between the two teams and expects a formidable opponent. However, he affirmed that Barcelona would maintain their brave approach and take the game to Girona.
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Reflecting on the team’s recent victories against Porto and Atlético Madrid, Xavi stated that Barcelona is in fine form, expressing the need to sustain their good football and capitalize on the boosted morale and confidence gained from the previous significant wins. As another challenging match against a direct rival awaits, Barcelona aims to continue their positive momentum.
