Sports Mole previews Sunday's La Liga conflict between Girona and Athletic Bilbao, together with predictions, staff information and doable lineups.
Bidding to halt a six-game winless run in all competitions, Girona will proceed their 2024-25 La Liga marketing campaign with a house fixture towards Athletic Bilbao on Sunday afternoon.
The Catalan outfit have discovered it robust this time period after a superb 2023-24, at the moment sitting down in twelfth spot in the desk, whereas Athletic are fifth, boasting 14 factors from their opening eight matches.
Match preview
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Girona loved a exceptional 2023-24 marketing campaign, ending third in Spain's prime flight, and it was at all times going to be troublesome for them to repeat that this time period, particularly with the added emotion of Champions League soccer.
The White and Reds have misplaced each of their Champions League matches this season to Paris Saint-Germain and Feyenoord, whereas they're winless of their final 4 in Spain's prime flight, shedding to Barcelona and Girona earlier than drawing with each Rayo Vallecano and Celta Vigo in fast succession.
Michel‘s aspect are at the moment twelfth within the desk, boasting a document of two wins, three attracts and three defeats from their eight matches to gather 9 factors, which has left them seven factors off the highest 4.
Girona have picked up 4 factors from their three residence league matches this season, and a win on Sunday will surely make everybody linked with the membership really feel rather a lot higher forward of the worldwide break.
The Catalan aspect solely picked up one level from their two league video games with Athletic throughout the 2023-24 marketing campaign, which got here in a 1-1 draw within the corresponding fixture.
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Athletic even have European commitments this season, with the Lions competing within the Europa League, and they may enter the match off the again of a 2-0 success over AZ, which made it 4 factors from their first two matches, leaving them in eleventh place within the desk.
Ernesto Valverde‘s aspect are unbeaten of their final six video games in all competitions, together with their final 4 in La Liga, beating Las Palmas, Leganes and Celta Vigo earlier than drawing 1-1 with Sevilla final outing.
The Basque aspect have a document of 4 wins, two attracts and two defeats from their eight league matches this season, which has left them in fifth place within the desk on 14 factors.
Athletic are solely two factors behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid and will likely be anticipating to be within the combine for a Champions League spot this time period, however it stays to be seen how they steadiness home and European motion, ought to they advance deep into the Europa League.
The Lions beat Girona 3-2 when the 2 sides final locked horns in February 2024, whereas they've a latest away league success over Sunday's opponents to their title, recording a 2-1 victory in March 2019.
Girona La Liga type:
Girona type (all competitions):
Athletic Bilbao La Liga type:
Athletic Bilbao type (all competitions):
Team News
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Girona will likely be with out the companies of 5 gamers via harm, with Viktor Tsygankov, Daley Blind, Oriol Romeu, Jastin Garcia and Ricard Artero unavailable for choice.
Head coach Michel will make adjustments to the aspect that took to the sphere for the primary whistle towards Feyenoord, with Arnaut Danjuma, Portu and Cristhian Stuani probably being launched within the ultimate third.
Donny van de Beek was on the scoresheet towards Feyenoord and ought to retain his spot on Sunday, whereas Blind's absence will enable David Lopez to proceed in the course of the defence.
As for Athletic, Benat Prados, Yeray Alvarez and Unai Simon are out of the match via harm, whereas Julen Agirrezabala will miss the competition as a result of purple card that he picked up within the conflict with Sevilla.
As a end result, there's set to be a begin between the sticks for quantity three goalkeeper Alex Padilla, whereas Oscar de Marcos and Alex Berenguer are in line for recollects following the Europa League recreation with AZ.
Nico Williams arrange his brother Inaki Williams to attain throughout the European affair, and the pair will as soon as once more be within the beginning aspect for the intriguing La Liga battle on Sunday afternoon.
Girona doable beginning lineup:
Gazzaniga; Frances, D Lopez, Krejci, Gutierrez; Martin, Van de Beek, Herrera; Portu, Stuani, Danjuma
Athletic Bilbao doable beginning lineup:
Padilla; De Marcos, U Lopez, Paredes, Lekue; Jauregizar, Vesga; N Williams, Sancet, Berenguer; I Williams
We say: Girona 1-1 Athletic Bilbao
This is a troublesome match for each side off the again of European contests; Athletic are definitely within the higher type, however Girona are a powerful outfit on residence soil, and we predict the factors to be shared on Sunday afternoon, which each managers would doubtless settle for if it have been provided forward of kickoff.
For information evaluation of the most probably outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click on right here.
