2 Girona vs 1 Athletic Club
Girona eager to end four-game winless run in weekend clash against Athletic.
As Girona seeks to break their winless streak and refocus their attacking intent, they face a resilient Athletic Club side eager to extend their unbeaten league run in an intriguing clash at Estadi Montilivi this Sunday.
Girona
Girona were involved in midweek UEFA Champions League action, where their challenging start to the competition continued with a 3-2 home defeat to Dutch side Feyenoord, following a 1-0 loss to PSG on Match Day 1. "There were 15 minutes that I didn't like at all, and that cost us two goals and a penalty, and it's a shame because we had started well," Girona manager Míchel remarked after the defeat.
This loss extended the White and Reds’ winless streak across all competitions to six matches [LLDDL], including a recent 1-1 draw away at Celta Vigo in the league. They now prepare for a home game against Athletic Club, a team they have lost to just once in their last four meetings [2W, 1D, & 1L], marking an improvement from their initial encounters [1W, 0D, & 3L].
Failing to secure a victory on Sunday would result in Girona going five or more league games without a win for the first time since August 2023, having not managed a win in their last four matches [WLLDD]. Only Real Madrid [156] and Celta Vigo [138] have executed over 10-pass sequences more frequently than Girona this season, but Míchel desires more attacking intent.
"We can't afford to pass the ball for the sake of passing it; that's useless," Míchel commented midweek. The team is expected to line up in a 4—2—3—1 formation, with Abel Ruiz leading the attack. Unfortunately, they will be missing up to five players, including Viktor Tsygankov, who was injured against Feyenoord. "I'm worried about Viktor's injury because in one week we've lost very important players," Míchel said post-match.
Athletic Club
Athletic Club picked up their first win of the current Europa League campaign with a 2-0 victory at home over Dutch side AZ Alkmaar. This victory extended Ernesto Valverde's side's unbeaten run to six matches across all competitions [4W, 2D, 0L], a streak that includes a 1-1 draw against Sevilla in their last league match.
The Lions, who are 5th with 14 points [4W, 2D, & 2L], will be hoping to extend their unbeaten run in the league to five matches [LWWWD] when they visit Girona on Sunday. Athletic have taken points in two of their four trips to Girona [1W, 1D, & 2L] and will be looking to do so again here.
A 4—2—3—1 formation with Gorka Guruzeta in attack is expected. As many as three players, including Unai Simón, are ruled out due to injuries, while Julen Agirrezabala is suspended.
Team form
Showing the latest five games—giving you a quick look at recent performance trends. Teams in good form tend to do well in the next match.
Team Comparison
Side-by-side assessment of team statistics, including goals, attacks, and more. This allows you to directly compare key performance metrics. Analyzing these stats can reveal patterns and strengths that might influence the outcome.