MADRID, 14 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Girona has risen to the sole leadership of LaLiga EA Sports after achieving a disappointing goalless draw at the home of the bottom of the category, Almería (0-0), in a twentieth matchday in which the Catalans, who suffered expulsion by Aleix García with ten minutes remaining, they managed to score only due to the lack of success of the Andalusian team.
The effective defensive work of Gaizka Garitano's men, who also took control of the ball at the start, slowed down the 'gironins' – without Sávio in the eleven and with Artem Dovbyk missing – during the first half.
In the 35th minute, Arribas tried his luck with a header that went wide, and just four minutes later he tested Gazzaniga with a shot that the visiting goalkeeper managed to clear. Meanwhile, the leader barely managed to get close to the Almeria area.
Míchel tried to react after the break with a double substitution, although the bottom player continued to insist with chances from Baptistao, Embarba and Arribas. The entry in the 67th minute of Sávio and Christian Stuani made the Catalans improve, but an action by Aleix García bringing down Gonzalo Melero as the last man left them with ten with just ten minutes remaining.
Almería almost won the first league win of the season in the 93rd minute, when Ramazani finished wide, evidencing the red and whites' shortcomings in attack. In this way, Girona adds one point and reaches 49, one more than Real Madrid, which is not playing this weekend due to the Spanish Super Cup final against FC Barcelona.