“I have never told the players that they are favorites. Talking about that doesn’t give you points or goals.” This is how forceful Jonatan Giráldez was in the run-up to the duel against Brann. The Blaugrana coach rejects the sign of clear winners against the Norwegians and demands a good game to seal a place in the semifinals.
With the first leg 1-2, the Barcelona players face a closer score than they are used to. For this reason, his coach knows not to give rise to overconfidence: “What gives you victories is doing things well,” he warned.
Brann were a worthy opponent in the first leg in Bergen, the second leg at the Johan Cruyff will be no exception. Giráldez praised the “brave and aggressive defensive” approach of Martin Ho's team and expects “a game very similar to the first leg.”
Regarding the match in Norway, the Galician coach spoke of improving in two aspects: “Being defensively adjusted and monitoring the arrivals of their flankers.” Giráldez believes that if they maintain the good statistics they have in all competitions, victory will be closer: “Football is about goals and we have a good streak of chances. If we are able to generate the same volume of opportunities we will take advantage of them. I think that tomorrow (for today) we will see a very good game,” he stated.
In the casualties section, Giráldez will still be without the injured Mapi León, Gemma Font and Jana Fernàndez, although he explained that the latter has been training with the group for a few times and that “we will see her soon” on the green. The one who has already fully recovered is Alexia Putellas, who in recent games has been adding minutes, both in the starting eleven and from the bench: “he is training very well, the sensations are good. After breaking the ice and competing, he is part of the squad and is available,” the captain noted.
In another vein, the Blaugrana coach also referred to the meeting held this week in Barcelona between some heavyweights from the Barça locker room and the president of League F, Beatriz Álvarez. A meeting in which the captains participated as well as players such as Mapi León or Aitana Bonmatí and in which they expressed to the president of League F her concern about the lack of competitiveness of the Spanish league. Giráldez confirmed the existence of this meeting, and expressed his discomfort that it had been leaked to the press: “Yes, there was a meeting. We are already used to news flying, especially if it comes from within,” he said, annoyed. The Blaugrana coach did not want to go into the subject further and asked to focus on the important Champions League tie: “There can be nothing that distorts the game. All the noise must be directed at the game,” he stated.
