Euphoria has taken hold in the Girona area during these fifteen days without football. The question now is whether in the locker room too. The ten points out of a possible twelve and the fact that the team was established in second place in LaLiga for so many days until yesterday has got people talking about Europe, the Champions League and much more other things that MÃchel prefers to avoid.
Thirteen years later, Girona returns to Granada. He does this with the uncertainty of how the team will react after the break in the competition for national team games. The benefits were so good two weeks ago, I’m sure MÃchel and all the fans had signed that the league would not stop and that the international players would not disband.
Arnau is out of action and we have to wait and see the physical condition of the players who have accumulated many minutes with their countries, such as Yangel Herrera – including a trip to South America -, Viktor Tsygankov and Daley Blind. The Dutch defender should stay in the defensive axis with David López unless MÃchel wants to give him a break and uses it to give Èric Garcia his debut.
On the left is Miguel Gutiérrez, on the right the question is whether the chosen one will be Yan Couto or Valery Fernández. The Brazilian is Arnau’s natural replacement, but MÃchel has used him more as a winger this season.
Aleix Garcia has the safe spot, but if Yangel isn’t well, that opens up a number of combinations as to who would replace him. One option is to delay Iván MartÃn, who also normally plays in the middle but further forward. Without Kébé, injured, The alternatives would be the last two signings, either Èric Garcia or Jhon SolÃs. For the striker, Savinho has a guaranteed place in one side and in principle Stuani should stay in the eleven. The other two spots would be contested between Tsygankov, Iván MartÃn and Pablo Torre.
Meanwhile, Granada come to the event convinced that it can be a springboard to gain confidence and move towards calmer positions in the standings. Coach Paco López has to accept some absences due to injuries to defenders Miguel Rubio and Jesús Vallejo. On the contrary, both Raúl Torrente and Gonzalo Villar have put their complaints behind them and are at the disposal of the Valencian coach.
Today’s game marks the return of Yangel Herrera to Granada, where he played at a high level (2019-21) (82 games and 10 goals). On the opposite side will be two ex-Girundians like the Campllong midfielder, Gerard Gumbausigned by Elche this summerand central defender Ignasi Miquel, who played for Montilivi on loan from Getafe in the 2019-20 season.
LIKELY ALIGNMENTS:
Grenade: Raul Fernandez; Ricard, Victor Diaz, Miquel, Neva; Gumbau, Sergio Ruiz; Bryan Zaragoza, Callejon, Uzuni; and Lucas Boyé.
Girona FC: Gazzaniga; Couto, David López, Blind, Miguel Gutierrez; Aleix GarcÃa, Yangel Herrera; Tsygankov, Ivan MartÃn, Savinho; and Stuani.
Referee: Isidro DÃaz de Mera Escuderos (Castilian-Manchego Committee).
Stadion: New Los Carmenes
Hour: 9:00 p.m.