Girona visit the Santiago Bernabéu this Saturday (18:30), which is surprisingly in the aristocratic part of the classification. As the only team that can consistently keep Real Madrid afloat, at this point of the season it has completed the third-best performance in its history with 58 points in 23 matches, in which it has suffered only one defeat. and four draws.
But, Míchel’s men are not only staying in the flow of Ancelotti’s men, they are also playing the football praised by opponents and pundits. This is the most attacking team in the competition. The Whites scored 47 goals and recorded 52 goals. There are not many ‘Cinderellas’ who dare to challenge Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético in the fight for the regularity tournament lately. Among these was the Sevilla team of the 2006-207 season, which fought for the championship until the last day with a score of 11 consisting of Palop, Alves, Poulsen, Renato, Navas Koundé and Luis Fabiano; and in 2002-03, before Raynald Denoueix’s Real Sociedad won the title with Xabi Alonso, Nihat, Kovacevic, De Pedro and Karpin on the final day at Balaídos.
Augusto César Lendoiro and Javier Irureta’s Deportivo achieved their goal. It was in 2000 and this team stood out, among others, for the performance of its goalkeeper. Paco Liano. The Cantabrian is now watching Girona and finds some similarities in the difficulties his team faced with the Merengues and Azulgranas. “Girona is a pleasant surprise and I’m following it very closely because I have a great relationship with Pablo Torre. It’s a pleasure to see him play, regardless of the position on the table and which no one expects. But For all neutral fans, they are a very nice team because of the tactical variables, how they move the ball, the attacking offers from the midfield… Of course, it is a surprise that he competed against Real Madrid. “This reminds me of what I experienced at Deportivo, a team that, like Girona, no one trusted to fight for the title.”
Jémez believes in “miracles”
Paco Jémez experienced something similar in Zaragoza in the 1999-2000 season. At that time, Maños, coached by Txetxu Rojo, was 90 minutes away from becoming the League champion. On the final day, Deportivo was ahead with 66 points, followed by Barcelona and Zaragoza with 63 points. However, the Galicians did their homework and their two pursuers drew. “Normally, competing with Madrid and Barça is something that no team in the League can achieve,” says Jémez, who is today the coach of Tractor Sazi in the Iran Pro League. From time to time, minor football ‘miracles’ occur, such as Girona, which are essential for the League. And it is appreciated. First with Zaragoza and then with Deportivo, we managed to be at their level and compete with them until the end.” Paco remembers that season with Rojo’s Zaragoza as “a journey where most people did not believe we could achieve it.”
The dilemma then arises as to whether oppression works against these ‘Cinderellas’ or affects them because they have no expectation of fighting for these goals. for Liaño “The pressure that builds on you that really affects you is the negative one. When you struggle to stay or not fall, it creates much more weight than positive pressure Fighting for something you don’t have to. This latest pressure won’t ruin Girona’s chances. The challenge for them now is that all teams plan their matches to face a candidate to win the League. The other day, La Real offered him a match in order to undermine his virtues rather than benefit from their own.” Jémez believes: “It is very difficult for a team that is not used to competing for the championship to be comfortable in this situation. “The number of cases like ours must increase so that the ‘humble’ and their hobbyists can feel what it is like to struggle for the impossible.”
The Deportivo goalkeeper is confident Girona “will be close until the end”. If they lose at the Bernabéu, Madrid’s favors will increase, which is the case. But it should be appreciated While Madrid will be distracted by a very tough competition like the Champions League, Girona has the advantage. You can focus on the league. In my opinion, Míchel’s team has been weak defensively in the last games and this could be a burden on them. But so far we haven’t heard Míchel complain, and he has masterfully solved the problem. “It is true that he came to Madrid with some losses, but Ancelotti also has losses, especially in defence.”
Liaño sees Girona hooked to the end
Liaño notes: “The only team to overtake Girona was Madrid, but they were overtaken by Míchel’s team in the first twenty minutes. Even though Real Madrid is an extremely reliable and successful team in its home field, I expect a match with these characteristics. Also, Ancelotti will save a defender and we’ll see if Dovbyk ends up there. I believe in this Madrid prefers opponents who offer plays because they are lethal on the counter-attack. It is easier to defend yourself and counterattack.”
If there is anyone who knows what it means to win and score at the Bernabeú, it is Paco Jémez, who participated in Zaragoza’s 1-5 victory in the white stadium: “For me this match is a small medal, almost a title in the World Cup. record. We must realize that we are in a magnificent moment and that we know how to play with unusual courage against Madrid at the Bernabéu. This is a small personal achievement for all of us involved in this because I don’t think there are many players who can say they won at the Bernabéu (1-5).
Paco Liaño explains what it means to play in a stadium like Chamartín with all eyes on you. “From my point of view, the footballer knows that everything that happens at the Bernabéu has greater media importance than what happens in the rest of the season. And that can weigh on you, it depends on everyone’s personality. But Girona managed to beat Barça in Montjuic, although not at Camp Nou. And I think trying to repeat that at the Bernabéu will also be an incentive for them.” Finally, the Zamora cup, which still has the fewest goals scored in the league, has a few words for Míchel: “I think he’s found the perfect environment for himself as a coach. It’s a good place to be. He has also featured internationally this year and there was even talk that he could be a candidate for the Barça bench. But to lead teams of this size you need to have more experience and you don’t have that yet. We see this in Xavi himself, and the same thing could happen to Míchel on the bench of this importance. He should not rush because he will have time and opportunities to reach the benches like City or Barça. But don’t rush.”