Buzz previews Tuesday’s Champions League clash between Girona and Slovan Bratislava, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Both seeking the first point of their Champions League campaign, Girona and Slavic Bratislava will meet at Estadi Montilivi on Tuesday evening.
Slovan sit second-bottom of the giant league-phase tablewhile the hosts have also lost twice – proving their own worst enemies on both occasions.
Match preview
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After Paulo Gazzaniga‘s own goal cost them a point against Paris Saint-Germain on their Champions League debut, Girona then came away empty-handed from their first home fixture in Europe’s top club competition earlier this month.
Michel‘s men were beaten 3-2 by Feyenoord at Estadio Montilivi, with missed penalties and own goals deciding an eventful encounter: Yangel Herrera and Ladislav Krejci both put the ball into their own net, while Gazzaniga stopped a spot-kick at one end and Bojan Miovski missed one at the other.
Girona have therefore scored three own goals in two games so far – already the joint-most ever by one team in a single season – and they are in danger of becoming the first Spanish side to suffer defeats in each of their first three Champions League matches.
In La Liga, the Catalan club are not faring much better, picking up a modest 12 points from their first 10 fixtures to occupy 13th place in the table.
Following Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Real Sociedad, they have won only one of their last eight games across all competitions, and just three in 12 so far this season.
All of which leaves last term’s heroics very much in the rear-view mirror, so Michel will be keen to get back on track by winning Girona’s first-ever meeting with their next opponents.
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Slovan Bratislava will arrive in Catalonia winless throughout their last six games against Spanish sides, ever since beating Barcelona 2-1 in the 1969 Cup Winners’ Cup final – their only major European triumph to date.
More recently, after coming through qualifying, the Slovakian side started their current Champions League campaign with a 5-1 defeat at Celtic, followed by another four-goal reverse a couple of weeks later.
Manager Vladimir Weiss – in his second spell at the club – saw Slovan thumped 4-0 by Premier League champions Manchester City last time out, as they conceded twice either side of the break.
They have now lost all of their last five matches in UEFA group or knockout games – conceding 16 goals and only scoring three – and their recent data also demonstrates it will be a tall order to claim one of the playoff places in this year’s league phase.
Slovan have faced 33 more shots than they have attempted in their first two fixtures – the worst shot difference of any team – while only Sparta Prague have a lower possession average than their modest share of 31%.
They have yet to prove much of a threat in the final third either: Austrian defender Kevin Wimmerwho scored at Celtic Park, is one of only two players to have produced a shot on target so far, along with veteran midfielder Juraj Kucka.
Back in the Slovak First League, the Sky Blues beat Spartak Trnava 1-0 in a derby clash at the weekend, retaining top spot in the table. They may have still lost just three times in 22 games this season, but they have conceded four or more goals on each occasion.
Girona Champions League form:
Girona form (all competitions):
Slovan Bratislava Champions League form:
Slovan Bratislava form (all competitions):
Team News
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Girona’s long absence list features several significant names ahead of Tuesday’s crucial contest, with Viktor Tsygankov, Daley Blind and Oriol Romeu being joined by summer signing Yaser Asprilla on the sidelines.
Paul Lopez and Bryan Gil are also unavailable, as Michel’s squad gets ever nearer to its bare bones, but ex-Braga forward Abel Ruiz should be fit to play a part at some stage.
Bojan Miovski is set to lead the hosts’ attack, with support from Dutch duo Donny van de Beek and Arnaut Danjumawhile David Lopez helms their defence: along with scoring the opener against Feyenoord, the latter recovered possession 12 times – the most by any defender in a single Champions League game this season.
Meanwhile, Slovan Bratislava’s main absentee will be influential playmaker Juraj Kucka, who has just returned to training after undergoing knee surgery last month.
Croatian star Marko Tolic should therefore play a key role behind lone striker David Sagittariuswith Vladimir Weiss Jr – son of the visitors’ manager – providing support from out wide.
Georgia captain Guram Kashia will feature at the heart of Slovan’s defence, with former Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Kevin Wimmer set to partner him.
Girona possible starting lineup:
Gazzaniga; A. Martinez, D. Lopez, Krejci, Gutierrez; Martin, Herrera, Solis; Van de Beek, Danjuma; Ruiz
Slovan Bratislava possible starting lineup:
Takac; Blackman, Kashia, Wimmer, Sharani; Bajric, Savvidis; Barseghyan, Tolic, Weiss Jr; Strelec
We say: Girona 2-1 Slovan Bratislava
Although Girona are beset by injuries and inconsistent form, they should still prevail on home soil against one of the Champions League’s more modest opponents.
Slovan are certainly the best team in Slovakia right now, but their defensive deficiencies are magnified when standing on the European stage.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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