Girona wants to break another barrier in the vermillion fortress
Michel's men are looking for a historic pass to the Cup semi-finals against a Mallorca that has not been in that round for 15 years
MADRID, 23 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Mallorca and Girona will meet this Wednesday (7:30 p.m.) for a place in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey, a round that the Catalan team has never entered, which goes to the Estadi Mallorca Son Moix in search of breaking another barrier against a rival that it has been 19 years since it has been among the four best in the tournament.
The vermilion team, Cup champion in 2003, faces the possibility of entering the cup semi-finals that they have not been to since 2009, when they beat Real Betis in a two-legged quarter-final and then were eliminated by the champion FC Barcelona. .
Now, with the new format, the Balearic team wants to once again be close to a title based on its home status, although in front of it it will have a very toned rival like Girona, current leader of LaLiga EA Sports, whose football is shining and who wants also dream about the 'k.o tournament'.
The team coached by Miguel Ángel Sánchez, 'Michel', faces the possibility of entering the Copa del Rey semi-finals for the first time in its history and being two games away from experiencing a final for a title, another step in one year. which is already on its way to being unforgettable in the history of the club, which in its previous attempt, in the 2018-2019 season, was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Real Madrid.
The tie appears even because despite the level that the 'gironís' are offering, especially on an offensive level, Mallorca appeals to its current solidity, with only one game lost since the end of November, at the Santiago Bernabéu and by the minimum, and its strength in its stadium, where only Villarreal has won this year at the beginning of the season, although it also only has two victories.
Javier Aguirre's team comes from four games without knowing defeat, with draws in LaLiga EA Sports against Celta (1-1), at home, and Villarreal (1-1), away, and victories in the Copa del Rey against to Burgos CF (0-3) and Tenerife (0-1), the latter thanks to a goal by Cyle Larin in the 120th minute that avoided the tension of penalties.
This is the Mallorcan team's first confrontation against a team of its category in the current edition of the Cup, a rival with whom it experienced an authentic spectacle of goals in the league duel in Montilivi, where Girona won 5-3, with all the local goals between the 26th and 57th minute and after the visitors took the lead with a goal from Vedaq Muriqi.
Precisely the Kosovo striker, the best scorer that 'Vasco' Aguirre has, could be one of the new additions to the eleven after he reappeared at the Estadio de la Cerámica after more than two months injured and who could be key to making the team suffer. a 'gironí' defense that is not solid. The question for the Mexican coach, with his team only five points above relegation and playing at home against Betis this weekend, is to decide whether to give minutes to the less common players or present his best eleven to try to dream in Cup.
EL GIRONA AND ITS DANGEROUS OFFENSIVE WAVES
To do this, they will have to come out with great intensity in the first minutes to try to prevent Michel's men from taking control of the game and threatening them on an offensive level with those fearsome waves that other teams have suffered, especially in LaLiga EA Sports , where he is the top scorer with 51 goals. Furthermore, you should not trust yourself if he takes the lead, since Girona has come back nine times this season (eight in the League and one in the Cup).
Girona arrives at the event very animated and without slowing down its pace. The Catalan team's last and only defeat this season is far away, when they lost to Real Madrid in Montilivi (0-3) at the end of September. Since then, 17 games without losing between both competitions, with 14 wins and 3 draws, and the lead, with one more game and one more point than Real Madrid, in LaLiga EA Sports.
Michel has already warned in the preview that “excitement and motivation” is above possible “fatigue” so it seems that he will put almost all his weapons on the field of play, without thinking too much about the league visit to Balaídos.
The good news for the Madrid coach is that, with respect to last Sunday's win over Sevilla, he could once again count on Eric García in defense, who was included in the squad, and also with a 'rested' Aleix García after not playing against the Sevillistas due to sanction. The dangerous trident led by scorer Artem Dobvyk, accompanied by Savio and Viktor Tsygankov, is also expected to play up front, although veteran Stuani could have his chance, as well as players like Arnau Martínez, Jhon Solís, Pablo Torre or Valery Fernández.
DATASHEET.
–POSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
MALLORCA: Greif; Giovanni, López, Copete, Van der Heyden, Costa; Darder, Mascarell; Llabrés, Prats and Amath.
GIRONA: Martin; Arnau, Blind, E. García, Gutiérrez; Solís, A. García, Martín; Tsygankov, Stuani and Savio.
–REFEREE: Munuera Montero (C. Andalusia).
–STADIUM: Son Moix.
–TIME: 7:30 p.m./Movistar+.