Madrid (AFP)
Girona hopes to start the year 2024 by continuing its series of surprising positive results this season, when it hosts Atletico Madrid “Wednesday”, in the nineteenth round of the Spanish Football League, while Real Madrid, who leads by goal difference, plays against Real Mallorca.
Despite drawing 1-1 with Real Betis in the last stage, Girona, which achieved 45 points, had won three consecutive matches in the league, and had not lost since last August 30 (0-3 against Real Madrid).
Compared to last season, Girona finished 2022 in 12th place with 17 points from 15 matches.
The hosts are trying to end the first leg with one loss, but the history of their confrontations with Atletico is not in their favor, as they have lost to them in the last three matches and have never won against them in their eight confrontations historically.
On the other hand, Argentine coach Diego Simeone's team benefited from its postponed match from the fourth stage, and beat Sevilla 1-0 to end the year in third place on goal difference behind Barcelona.
The coach relies on a group of players led by French top scorer Antoine Griezmann, in addition to Koke (32 years old), whose contract expires this year and it is awaited to know whether he will remain with the club for which he has only played or will move to a new club.
Real Madrid will host the 14th at home, Mallorca, and it aspires to break the lead partnership with Girona, after renewing confidence in its Italian coach, Carlo Ancelotti.
The Royal Club detonated the extension bomb last Friday, indicating that its coach had signed a new contract until June 30, 2026, after he was nominated to be the first foreign coach for the Brazilian national team in nearly sixty years, and to lead them in the next Copa America in the United States “from June 20 to July 14.”
Ancelotti said, “I am very happy to continue the dream in this club, and with these players. I have renewed my contract, because the team has been successful in recent years, and this success continues with us this year.”
He added, “I see Florentino Perez as the father of a family and as a man who achieved what no one could achieve in football.”
Real is seeking to achieve its fifteenth victory against a guest who suffered a loss in the last confrontation between them (1-0 in February 2023).
The brilliant English player Jude Bellingham will try to rise to the top of the scorers, after scoring 13 goals in the league during his first season, one goal behind Getafe striker Borja Mayoral.
On the other hand, German Toni Kroos and Croatian Luka Modric enter the new year without knowing whether they will continue with the “Merengue”, as their contracts expire next June.
Barcelona, in turn, is trying to catch up with the leaders who are seven points ahead of it when it visits Las Palmas on Thursday.
Coach Xavi Hernandez seeks to start the new year as he ended 2023 by defeating Almeria 3-2, after his team showed determination to win despite the humility of its opponent.
The last match was an opportunity for captain Sergi Roberto, who had left his coach's accounts, to prove himself again after starting due to the absence of the Dutch international starting trio, Frenkie de Jong, due to suspension, and Pedri and Javi, due to injury, which he did by scoring two goals.
Xavi hopes that Portuguese defender Joao Cancelo and his fellow striker Felix will continue with the team and renew their contracts. He said, “They have adapted well and are performing at the highest level. Of course we would like to be able to continue to rely on them,” after Spanish media said that club president Joan Laporta Negotiations began to renew their contracts after they transferred on loan from Manchester City, England, and Atletico Madrid, Spain.
Getafe will open the stage by facing Rayo Vallecano on Tuesday, Real Sociedad will also meet Alaves, Villarreal will be the guest of Valencia, Granada will play against Cadiz on Wednesday, while Celta Vigo will meet Real Betis. Osasuna will face Almeria on Thursday, and Sevilla will face Athletic Bilbao.
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