Monday, November 4, 2024, 17:07
Despite a hesitant start, with defeats against PSG in Paris and Feyenoord in Montilivi, the momentous victory on the last day against Slovan Bratislava preserves Girona‘s chances in the Champions League intact. The Catalan team still has its scores in the most prestigious of club competitions, but its numbers largely depend on adding up in the next two outings, against PSV and Sturm Graz.
Eindhoven presents itself as a kind of crossroads for Míchel‘s team, capable of righting the course in the League this weekend and willing to stretch its dream in the Champions League at the expense of the multinational electrical company Philips, which maintains the leadership of the Eredivisie despite losing on the last day in Amsterdam against Ajax, in a Dutch football classic.
No opponent is easy in the Champions League, even less so for a Girona that continues to weather the injury storm as best it can, but it seems essential to load up on points before a dizzying final stretch in the group stage. And the Catalan team will close its competition in this initial round by hosting Liverpool, leader of the Premier, visiting Milan at San Siro and facing the powerful Arsenal at Montilivi.
Although the list of casualties has been reduced in recent weeks, with the returns of Oriol Romeu or Bryan Gil, glue in the center of the field and vertigo on the wing, Míchel is still doing his best. Given the multiple absences that the Madrid coach is dealing with, which leaves pillars like Iván Martín, Tsygankov, Portu, Danjuma and Abel Ruiz out of the game, he only has 15 players from the first team for the decisive visit to PSV.
-Probable alignments:
PSV Eindhoven: Benitez, Júnior, Flamingo, Boscagli, Dams, Til, Tillman, Saibari, Bakayoko, Luuk de Jong and Lang.
Girona: Gazzaniga, Arnau Martínez, David López, Krejci, Juanpe, Miguel Gutiérrez, Yangel Herrera, Oriol Romeu, Van de Beek, Stuani and Bryan Gil.
Referee: Michael Oliver (England).
Stadium: PSV Stadion.
Time and TV: 6:45 p.m. Movistar Champions League.
