The white-and-red have eight points less than in the same stretch of the first round
Girona completed a dream first round, with 48 points and a single defeat, which placed them as a candidate for the league title along with teams such as Barça, Madrid or Atlético. Míchel Sánchez’s team had an almost flawless run in the first nineteen games, in which they only fell against Madrid and conceded points against four opponents. The level shown by the Girona was so high that it seemed difficult to maintain in the second round, and the results have shown that. Girona has slowed down in the first six games of the second half of the championship, in which they have collected eight points less than in the first six of the league, although with a more complicated schedule and with more trips than home games .
In these six games, Girona have achieved two victories against Sevilla (5-1) and Celta (0-1), two draws at Almeria, the surprising draw (0-0), and Real Sociedad in Montilivi (0-0) and has lost in the last two days at Madrid (4-0) and Athletic Club (3-2). It’s time not to lose calm, neither inside nor outside the dressing room of a Girona team that, despite chaining three matches without winning and two defeats for the first time since the start of the season, has had moments of good football, especially at home against Real Sociedad, a Champions League team that was cornered in their field for many minutes of the match, and in the final stretch of the match against Athletic, when Míchel’s men had options to equalize 3-1 against with good occasions while showing his character. The only blemish on the balance of the second round was the poor match at the Power Horse Stadium against Almeria, who dominated at times, and at the Santiago Bernabéu against Madrid, where the team could not deploy the game which had led him to fight for the league title with the white team, the great favourite.
Girona is left with no goals and no points
Girona’s drop in performance in the first six games of the second round compared to the first six of the league is reflected in both points and goals. The white-and-red have added half as many points in this section (8) as in the first (16). The scoring section has also been halved, with eight goals scored in this second leg and sixteen in the first, five of which came in a single game against Sevilla (5-1). And the fact is that in three matches the Girona have not been able to score – against Almeria, Real Sociedad and Madrid -, something that only happened once in the first round, precisely in the only defeat in Montilivi, against the Madrid (0-3).
In summary, Girona has had a slowdown in the first six days of the second round compared to the first, and in these six games Míchel’s men have already lost one more point (10 in total) than in all the nineteen days of the first half of the championship (9). Curiously, the Girona side conceded points in four games in the first round: against Betis at Benito Villamarín (1-1), and against three teams that they have not been able to beat in the second either, such as Real Sociedad -1-1 in Anoeta and 0-0 in Montilivi–; Madrid – 0-3 at Montilivi and 4-0 at the Bernabéu–, and Athletic Club – 1-1 at Montilivi and 3-2 at San Mamés–. Therefore, in the thirteen days left to play in the league, Girona will face twelve teams they beat in the first round and Betis in Montilivi. The challenge of repeating the feat seems impossible.
El Rayo, the next rival in a full Montilivi
For now, the next opponent will be Rayo Vallecano in the return game in front of the Girona fans next Monday at 9pm. Tickets are sold out and season ticket holders will have the last word to ensure a full house at a key moment in a historic season that could be excellent or honor roll if it ends up achieving the new goal to strive for: to be in the next Champions League. The candy is juicy, but Rayo already gave a touch of attention in the first match with Iñigo Pérez as first coach in place of Francisco, snatching a point of great value against a Real Madrid that reached the appointment of Vallecas, but he could not impose his usual game.
REGARDING ROUND 1 Míchel’s side have scored and added eight fewer points in the first six days of the 2nd round
A STONE Girona already lost points against Madrid, Real and Athletic, as in the second
THE CHALLENGE UNTIL THE FINISH Except against Betis at home, Girona will face teams they have already beaten
FIRST ROUND VS SECOND
THE DOUBLE MATCH
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