Girona starts 2023 with a very special match, the derby against Espanyol. Míchel’s team hopes to extend the good feelings with Oriol Romeu’s significant absence due to suspension. The coach will also not be able to dispose of the injured Kébé, Javi Hernández, Reinier and Juanpe, who is progressing favorably with his recovery.
THE TEAM
“Ibra, Juanpe, Javi and Reinier are injured, the rest are available, minus Oriol Romeu, and ready for the game.”
THE FALL OF ORIOL ROMEU
“It’s important, but I think I have a very good squad and there are many possibilities for players to do their job. Ramon, Yangel, playing only with Aleix… Things will go that way.”
THE EVOLUTION OF JUANPE
“Juanpe is getting better, but we prefer not to talk about him. We have to wait for everything to go well. I think he will be there sooner than we expected.”
THE SPANISH
“It’s a very good team with good players. Darder’s football is spectacular. Up top, Joselu wins all the balls in the air and the wings are fast. They put a lot of pressure in their field when they don’t have the ball. It’s a very aggressive team, it’s the characteristic of the coach. It will be a difficult game in a difficult and spectacular field. We have to keep our determination.”
“They have come from winning the Cup and drawing at Camp Nou. Their disposition is better now than it was two games ago. I think they have a better mentality but we have prepared the game in the best way to win.”
AIM FOR 2023
“The purpose is to improve the difference between goals in favor and against. Making it positive is our goal. Right now it is 22 goals in favor and 24 against, -2. Our goal is to have a positive balance.”
THE DERBY
“It’s another game, but it’s a derby. There are a lot of people in the dressing room that for them it’s a special game. For David, especially Bernardo… They played at Espanyol. My concern is our dynamics and personality. For me, a derby is a special game, but when it comes to preparing it, it’s the same. I haven’t focused on this issue.”
THE THREE VICTORIES AT THE RCDE STADIUM
“I didn’t take that into account. The story is good, but it doesn’t win games. It’s a fact that we will try to continue in the same way.”
THE CLASSIFICATION
“I don’t know why we will fight. For me, Espanyol is a very good team, but the League is complicated and everything is very equal. Our concern is to be above the top ten. It is our goal. If we achieve it, we will not suffer. Every game is difficult. It is not easy to get points. We want to be in the top ten.”
