It was cold in Montilivi, but the match was a lesson in commitment to the ball from Girona, who resisted with integrity against Athletic, the best team, along with Madrid, who has stepped foot in Míchel’s house. He played without Dovbyk, who was injured, but he stood up against the cascade of opportunities that the Basque team had.
Girona remains at the top of the League, sharing the lead with Madrid, making it clear that it is not easy to break it. When his modern football doesn’t reach him, Gazzaniga, the goalkeeper, emerges to give him a point, while Sávio establishes himself as one of the sensations of the championship. It doesn’t matter where you play. He is almost always the best.
The match was nice. Amusing. No time to be distracted by looking at your cell phone or attending to social networks. In Montilivi there is no pause to relax. Valverde’s Athletic arrived, a serious and reliable team, which lacks the necessary goal to think about greater challenges.
No time to get bored
Beautiful, entertaining and, of course, fun was what was seen at the leader’s house, with all the tickets sold. The first half ended 0-0, but no one got bored. And the coaches, yes, were on edge. Míchel was restless because his Girona was pierced by Athletic, but not beaten, standing thanks to the hands of Gazzaniga, that peculiar goalkeeper who saved shots from Guruzeta – his mistake in the 4th minute was incredible -, Sancet, Guruzeta, again , and Vesga.
Girona was being shaken by a daring and vertical Basque team. But they didn’t knock him down. There too, when matches break down to the misfortune of the coaches, the maturity of the leaders is measured. Meanwhile, Sávio was determined to break De Marcos again and again, subjecting him to torture on the right flank of the Basque defense.
Girona arrived intelligently at Unai Simón’s area – there was even a goal disallowed by Yangel Herrera due to previous offside by the skilled Brazilian winger, a demon in boots – but the Spanish team’s goalkeeper barely made a save. And it wasn’t difficult. Gazzaniga, in just 45 minutes, signed four. All decisive.
Savio’s poisonous ransom
With Dovbyk injured, Girona is already the same as the greats, being a victim of the national team break, they had to rely on Sávio’s dribbling, Stuani’s head and the tactical astuteness of Miguel and Iván Martín, both undetectable, in addition to the class that Tsygankov says. In a points fight, the referee would have raised Athletic’s arms. And Girona, timid and timid (their first foul was in the 39th minute), held on with integrity.
Míchel’s team was not hegemonic nor did it dominate the game as usual. There were moments when he had to bail out water from his area because the elegant and omnipresent Sancet – what a great footballer! – was wisely guiding the Basque attack, scanning the landscape of Montilivi flying with the wings of Williams (Iñaki on the right; Nico , on the left), while Guruzeta made Valverde desperate. The game was even above the absence of goals.
Tsygankov’s goal
It was beautiful because there was an exchange of blows between two teams with a spectacular offensive projection. Nine shots by Athletic, four on goal; five from Girona, only one between the posts of Unai Simón, missing, as is logical, the drive and body of Dovbyk.
The game calmed down after the break. The technicians sent. But Sávio is insolent. A rebel. Young man, cheeky and funny, as well as poisonous. His was the 1-0 play, tearing Athletic down the left wing, leaving Tsygankov alone against Unai Simón. Left foot from the Ukrainian to avoid Unai Simón’s big body. And Montilivi, which registered, with 13,123 spectators, the second best attendance of the season, only surpassed by the visit of Madrid, exploded with joy.
Iñaki Williams sealed the tie
But Girona’s ambition – an unfinished attack by Miguel – cost them dearly because Athletic, in an accurate counterattack, caught the leader with the slow defense made up of Aleix García and Blind. Iñaki Williams certified the tie, also with another left foot. He went in search of 2-0 and discovered 1-1.
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The elements of the rotation then entered, with Portu having to act as ‘false nine’. And then Girona’s fatigue emerged, with his legs weighing like lead. The energy it had lost came to Athletic. Although in the final minutes Míchel’s team now took control of the ball.
They were all exhausted. But they did not let themselves go in a match that turned out to be an ode to offensive, fun and beautiful football.
The card of Girona-Athletic (1-1)
Girona: Gazzaniga, Arnau, Eric García, Blind, Miguel, Yangel Herrera, Aleix García, Tsygankov, Iván Martín, Sávio and Stuani.
Coach: Michel
Changes: Port by Stuani (m. 69); Yan Couto by Arnau (m. 69): Paul Tower by Ivan Martin (m. 77); Abraham by Yangel Blacksmith (d. 85); Valery by Tsygankov (m. 85).
Athletic: Unai Simón, De Marcos, Vivian, Aitor Paredes, Lekue, Vesga, Ruiz de Galarreta, Iñaki Williams, Sancet, Nico Williams and Cruzeta.
Coach: Ernesto Valverde
Changes: Raúl García for Guruzeta (d. 74); Berenguer by Nico Williams (d. 81); Ander Herrera for Galarreta (d. 81); Unai Gómez for Sancet (d. 90); Malcom Ares by Iñaki Williams (d. 90).
Goals: 1-0, Tsygankov (m. 55); 1-1, Iñaki Williams (67);
Referee: Melero López, Andalusian
Yellow cards: Guruzeta (m. 51); Blind (m. 59)
Estadio: Montilivi
Spectators: 13.123.
2023-11-27 21:12:14
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