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They can handle the ball more or less well, be pragmatic in their play or rhetorical in their execution, appear confident or soft in defense, but Girona are not ready to drop from the top of the table. There he is waiting alone for Real Madrid to host Rayo Vallecano this Sunday (at 9:00 p.m., DAZN). In any case, he hesitated in Pamplona. Encouraged by the ever-decisive Budimir, Osasuna seemed to regain its memory, especially after overcoming Iván Martín’s 1-0 deficit. None of that. In an exciting game in which they lost control of the game (never the ball) at times, Girona showed all their confidence to the doubting Osasuna. And when El Sadar threatened to become a fortress again, the Catalan team beat them to it. This time it wasn’t noticeable. He didn’t care: the strategy remains ablaze. And Girona is still celebrating in the league.
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Herrera, Jesús Areso, Catena, Mojica, David García, Lucas Torró (Jon Moncayola, Min. 89), Moi Gómez (Pablo Ibáñez, Min. 75), Chimy Ávila (Rubén García, Min. 75), Rubén Peña (Kike Barja , Min. 83), Aimar Oroz (Raul García de Haro, Min. 83) and Ante Budimir
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Gazzaniga, Eric Garcia, Arnau Martinez, Daley Blind, Yan Couto (Tsygankov, Min. 69), Aleix García, Miguel Gutierrez, Yangel Herrera, Sávio, Dovbyk (Stuani, Min. 85) and Iván Martín (Portu, Min. 85)
Goals 0-1 min 16: Iván Martín. 1-1 min. 25: In front of Budimir. 2-1 min. 54: In front of Budimir. 2-2 min 71: Dovbyk. 2-3 min. 80: Zygankov. 2-4 min 90: Aleix García.
referee José Luis Munuera Montero
Yellow cards Chimy Ávila (Min. 39), Catena (Min. 41), Ante Budimir (Min. 51), Arnau Martinez (Min. 72), Yangel Herrera (Min. 84), Aitor (Min. 87) and Stuani ( at least 94)
Osasuna’s reliability under pressure was declining and Michel knew it. Without the ferocity to put rivals in their place on the opposing field – the hallmark of Jagoba Arrasate’s boys, who had taken them to seventh place in the league last season – decided Girona decided to attack from the wings. Less inside play, more vertical football to disarm an Osasuna with intensity in defense, although always tough in defense and impossible for Girona to beat in the first division until this Saturday. Michel’s notebook of ideas seems endless and his formula worked perfectly. At least he did from the start.
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Osasuna practically didn’t smell the ball in El Sadar. There is nothing strange when a team like Girona faces. It took 10 minutes for the red team to react and only when Mojica took charge did Lucas Torró have a double chance. However, none with a price. In any case, Arrasate found the weak point in Michel’s armor: the red-and-white defense was less reliable with Eric García instead of David López in defense with three central defenders that the Madrid coach usually fields. It is precisely this tactical system that gives Girona its chameleonic identity, usually with Aleix García as the fulcrum of the entire game, this Saturday with the focus on Savinho.
Girona’s Ukrainian midfielder Viktor Tsygankov hits a header past the Osasuna goalkeeper. Jesus Diges (EFE)
If the Brazilian is one of the league’s footballers, Girona establishes itself as one of the surprises in Europe. Before the duel against Osasuna, Michel’s team was one of the five teams that had scored the most goals in complex moves, namely four, behind Leverkusen and PSG (six) and Brighton (five). Girona’s fifth goal marked zero on the scoreboard in El Sadar. Savinho didn’t let himself be stopped from winning the ball from behind and accelerated as the ball reached his feet. So, full throttle in Girona. The game, beautiful for its speed and precision, ended 0-1 after Iván Martín pushed the ball into the net without resistance.
Everything came from Girona. Michel and his companions had arrived in Pamplona prepared that no one would wake them from their sleep, let alone from the head of the table. But Osasuna rebelled. He wasn’t willing to be ignored, especially not in his house. Nobody is better than Budimir to save Arrasate. The striker twice took advantage of the passivity of the Girona defense, which was unrecognizable in El Sadar. First to catch a second play, then to win alone against his four markers and sign the comeback. Osasuna wanted to regain the essence of this lost season, especially at home: it has one win, one draw and four defeats. Could not. Or rather, Girona didn’t leave him.
Michel’s alarm clock was on the bench: Tsygankov. Of course, the Ukrainian had the help of Dovbyk. Between the two strikers they beat Osasuna. First it was Dovbyk who fooled everyone with a move in the penalty area and scored with a header to make it 2-2. After Tsygankov he made it 2:3. Girona continued with their plan to attack on the wings. The script was the one that Michel had come up with for the visit to El Sadar, the idea that the coach had pursued since he sat on the Montilivi bench: to control games with the ball. And that’s why he has Aleix García. Less present on the ball this Saturday, but crucial at the net. The midfielder, who is expected to be on Luis de la Fuente’s list on November 10, capped the win with a magnificent goal: a powerful volley from the corner of the penalty area that bounced off the turf before sneaking into the corner of the goal. by Herrera.
Aleix García appeared, as did Dovbyk and Tsygankov. Of course, Savinho. In short, Girona appeared in Pamplona. And it seems he’s already used to running through the league’s skies.
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