Girona did not lack desire and intensity in the pre-season premiere. We would be wrong if it were not so. What wasn’t there were plenty of encouragement for a fan who is screaming for new faces. While waiting for the Kings to pass, Míchel has to work with what he has, which is not too much because of the injuries (Borja García, Iván Martín, Kébé and Bernardo). In fact, yesterday in Peralada in the premiere, only five players from the first team were in the starting eleven (Juan Carlos, Juanpe, Bueno, Aleix Garcia, Samu Saiz) and four more entered the rematch (Ortolá, Valery, Arnau and Terrats). The prominence, then, was clear that it would be for the youngsters of the plant and so it was, with a prominent role for Joel Roca, in the first half and Óscar Ureña in the second half. The sparks from the end of Camprodon and the midfielder from Figueres were the most positive notes of a very attractive match in which, logically, the lack of petrol of both teams was noticed. If there were no goals it was because between Aroca, Doré and the sticks they avoided it.
In fact, up to three times the wood appeared to avoid the targets of the local Joan Tomàs and the white-and-red Terrats and Roca, already in the second part. In the end, the feelings were good enough in a friendly first that showed that the team must grow, in number of troops, a lot in the coming weeks. On Friday in Switzerland, Michel will have a more demanding exam against a whole Benfica. Who knows if the technician will already have the first reinforcements.
The motivation to face a whole First Division made Peralada be in maximum tension from the initial whistle to the end. Those of Miquel Àngel Muñoz, well placed, contained as they could all the attempts of a Girona that, very soon, obtained the control of the party and the arrivals, mainly of Rock on the right side. Alan Baró avoided a goal scored by Pau Víctor and Aroca saved a free kick with the left of Almansa entering the corner. On the Alt-Empordà side, Joan Tomàs shook Juan Carlos’ crossbar with a guard from outside the area.
The change carousel did not slow down the pace of the game at the restart. Girona took a step forward in attack thanks mainly to the appearances of Ureña. The man from Figueres showed that he is fine and that he wants to convince Míchel that he is taking part in the first team with actions of merit between the lines and a couple of attempts that deservedly involved Aroca and Doré.
Ureña’s push would encourage Girona to close the Peralada in their area in search of a goal that did not come. Stuani, with a cross to center of Ureña, outside, and Arnau, only to the point of penalty, tried it, again without aim. In the end, despite the absence of goals, the sensations were positive in a first test that must be taken with tweezers by the embryonic state in which the staff is. The 0-0 left even more satisfied a Peralada who was a worthy rival in front of about eight hundred people in the Municipal.
