Girona eager to earn first few points in UCL league phase.
As Girona host Feyenoord in a high-stakes UEFA Champions League clash, both sides seek their first points of the campaign amidst a backdrop of recent struggles and untapped potential.
Girona
Following a not-so-impressive UEFA Champions League debut, Girona are back on European turf, hoping to pick up their first few points in the league phase of the competition. An ill-fated meeting with PSG on Match Day 1 left the Spanish side with a 1-0 loss after a deflected shot from goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga found its way into the net in the 90th minute.
Girona managed only three shots in that defeat to Les Parisiens, equaling the record for the joint fewest by a team in their debut match since 2003-04. Meanwhile, a 1-1 draw with Celta Vigo in La Liga at the weekend left Girona without a win in five games across all competitions [LLLDD].
UCL Match Day 2 will present a fine opportunity to end the five-game winless streak in what will be the first-ever European meeting between Girona and the Dutch side Feyenoord. ‘Now we have to focus on the Champions League, which is very nice, and try to get the victory,’ Iván Martín said after the weekend’s 1-1 draw.
However, Girona have won only two of their nine games this season [2W, 3D, 4L]. A 4—2—3—1 formation is expected, with Abel Ruiz in attack. Míchel will be without Oriol Romeu [hamstring] and Daley Blind [calf], who went off injured on Sunday.
Feyenoord
Feyenoord experienced a tough start to their campaign with a 4-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen on the opening day. This defeat placed the Dutch side near the bottom of the table, just above 36th-placed Dinamo Zagreb, who suffered a crushing 9-2 loss to Bayern Munich on UCL Match Day 1.
Like their upcoming opponents, Feyenoord will be eager to secure their first points of the European campaign on UCL Match Day 2. Over the weekend, a 1-1 draw against NEC meant Feyenoord have only one win in their last five games across all competitions [DDLWD].
Feyenoord's away record against Spanish opposition [2W, 1D, 6L] leaves much to be desired, yet Brian Priske will be hoping to overturn this trend against the hosts. However, it's worth noting that Feyenoord have lost each of their last eight UEFA Champions League away games since their 1-0 win at Newcastle in September 2002.
A 4-3-3 formation featuring Ayase Ueda, Osman, and Igor Paixão up front is expected. Unfortunately, three players, including Santiago Giménez, are ruled out for this fixture.
Team form
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Team Comparison
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