The surprising Girona continues to make history and Michel's men are in a position to do something that seemed little less than a dream at the beginning of the season, challenging Real Madrid for the honorary title of winter champion on the last day of the League of the First Round. the nineteenth
A priori, the whites have it easier. Tied on points (45) with Girona, the same result is worth it. Those of the recently renewed Carlo Ancelotti receive Mallorca today at the Bernabéu while Girona does the same in Montilivi with a much tougher rival, Atlético. Madrid plays at 7:15 p.m. and Girona at 9:30 p.m., so when the Catalan team takes to the field they will already know if they have options and what they need.
Tranquility reigns in Madrid right now. He has removed with a stroke of a pen and in an unusual decision the issue that caused him the most unease, the renewal of Ancelotti, now with a contract until 2026. It has been something against the current. Florentino Pérez likes to wait until the end of the season once the harvest of titles or the lack thereof is known, and the latter used to be synonymous with a change on the bench.
In his appearance yesterday Ancelotti exuded satisfaction. He even said that he wants to continue until 2027 or 2028, which is why he is delighted in Madrid and in Madrid. In favor of the euphoria, Ancelotti assured that the team does not plan to hire any central defender despite the absences of Militao and Alaba. And that they will urgently manage with Tchouaméni and Carvajal.
For today's match against Mallorca, a team that is doing poorly in Son Moix, Ancelotti recovers three injured players: Carvajal, Vinícius and Güler. The first will be a starter and the other two will have minutes. A reunion is planned between Vinícius and Raíllo and Pablo Maffeo, two players who have had a tough time with the Brazilian. Camavinga could reappear next week.
In Montilivi, Girona wants to put a finishing touch to its first round with a victory against Atlético, which is coming off three consecutive defeats away from the Metropolitano. To date, Girona has only suffered one defeat: on September 30, 0-3 against Madrid, in the only goalless match for the highest scoring team in the tournament.
Since that day, the ninth, Girona has collected 26 points out of 30, seven more than Diego Simeone's team.
Míchel has the unknowns of Viktor Tsygankov and Yangel Herrera, doubts due to his physical condition, and the losses of Borja García and Toni Villa, in addition to Bernardo Espinosa, who terminated his contract with Girona a few days ago to return to Colombia. Defender Juanpe Ramírez could start for the first time in LaLiga.
At Atlético, the doubt in the eleven is the position of Axel Witsel. The Belgian aims to be a central midfielder, but he can also be a central defender. Simeone's choice of demarcation will determine the other unknown of the lineup, between César Azpilicueta as right center back or Rodrigo Riquelme as left or right wing back.
Simeone has four casualties: Pablo Barrios, for the seventh game in a row due to the tear of the inner meniscus in his left knee suffered on November 28; Thomas Lemar, for the twenty-first consecutive game due to a ruptured right Achilles tendon; Reinildo Mandava, concentrated for the Africa Cup with Mozambique; and Caglar Soyuncu, sent off with a straight red card in the last game against Sevilla.
Michel insisted yesterday that they are not candidates for the title: “I don't think we are because I think we have to score almost 90 points, which is a lot. The first round is just finishing and we have to do a spectacular second. We have to go game by game. Our goal is Europe. Madrid, Atlético and Barça are made to win the League and we are not. We cannot think that our obligation, because we have done something very great until now, is to continue in first position. We must have a great year and we will see if we are able to reach Europe, which is already a very big goal for Girona."
