Girona are, undoubtedly, the biggest revelation in European football, along with Bayer Leverkusen. An attractive football proposal with Míchel at the helm, which has taken them to the third place they currently occupy in the league championship.
It is true that it is very difficult to keep up with Real Madrid as they have done, but little by little, uncertainty is beginning to appear as to what position Girona will finish the season in.
This small doubt stems from the Catalan team’s poor run of form in their last few games, given that, since February, they have only won two of their seven matches (3-0 against Rayo Vallecano and 2-0 against Osasuna). The most worrying thing isn’t the results, but the team’s image when they play away from Montilivi.
This is a big problem for Míchel, who has to improve if he wants Girona to qualify for the next edition of the Champions League, as out of those last seven games, they have lost the four they have played away. And the fact is that, behind this bad run, there are different causes that hinder the team’s performance.
Injuries to important players:
Girona have had to deal with some injuries throughout this season, but it is certainly something that is taking its toll on the Catalans. Currently, the team has several key players injured, such as Yangel Herrera, Viktor Tsygankov and David López. As if that wasn’t enough, before the match against Getafe this matchday, Miguel Gutiérrez was out of the starting eleven in the warm-up due to discomfort.
Although they are all untouchable parts of the team, the one that has affected them the most and, at the same time, has lasted the longest, is that of David López. The centre-back’s injury hasn’t only affected the team’s performance, but has also forced them to change from a system of three centre-backs, which was so beneficial for them, to another with four defenders in which they suffer more due to the depth of their two full-backs.
Proof of this dependence is that, the only two games Girona have won since February, were both games in which David López was in the starting line-up. The centre-back’s presence at the heart of the defence not only improves the team’s defensive solidity, but also has a domino effect and frees Aleix García from certain defensive duties. This means that the Catalan player can move forward and get closer to the area where he is crucial to his team.
The goalscoring ease vanished:
Girona have always been an eye-catching team to watch and their games were evidence of this, as it was somewhat unlikely to be a low-scoring game, but this has changed in recent rounds.
Much of this problem lies with the poor form of their striker, Artem Dovbyk. The Ukrainian striker, who was the trendy striker in the league with 14 goals, is currently out of action. The player hasn’t scored in eight consecutive matches, something that Girona is missing. This match against Getafe, the Ukrainian missed many clear chances, which shows that he hasn’t lost his nose for goal, but that what he has missed is his aim.
In addition, one of their star players, Tsygankov, has also missed several match days due to injury. To make matters worse for Girona, the player who has been pulling the strings in attack in recent matches will miss the next game. Savinho, who had scored three goals in the last four games, picked up his fifth yellow card against Getafe and will be suspended after the international break against Betis.
The team’s drop in goals is also due to the change of system, as having such attacking full-backs as Yan Couto and Miguel Gutiérrez, playing with four defenders back four, means Girona lose a lot of firepower up front and also suffer more in defence.
What is clear is that this international break will be good for Girona so that Míchel can continue to recover his squad and put an end to these problems. We will see if in the end Girona is able to keep a place for the next edition of the Champions League, because this year they are more disputed than ever.
Main image: @GironaFC.
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