Girona began the season immersed in three competitions. Four months later, their efforts are focused on the League, the options of moving to the next phase in the Champions League are utopian. The multiple objectives at the beginning of the season have been reduced to returning to Europe next year and the visit to Son Moix, against a direct rival, seemed important to measure the options of Míchel’s team. And the feelings could not have been worse against a Mallorca team that took the victory thanks to its competitiveness and solidity. Not even advancing on the scoreboard, with Van de Beek’s goal. Nor with one more player for more than an hour for the red card to Muriqi. And to make matters worse, giving away a goal due to errors by Juanpe and Gazzaniga. Girona was a powerless team that lacked everything Larin had, scorer of the two local goals, who gave an example of conviction and ability to create danger.
Both teams had significant losses. The people of Girona still had Miovski, Herrera and Tsygankov injured, while the islanders could not count on Raíllo, Samú Costa and Valery, with the fear clause. Two mainstays like Arnau and David López returned to a Catalan eleven that recovered its idea of the game after showing a more reactive version against Liverpool.
The intensity of the reds tied up the people from Girona and the vermillions tried something similar, also in red. Those from Arrasate pressed, but the visitors found spaces with the ball against an opponent who sought to feed on other people’s mistakes to use verticality, their greatest virtue. Míchel had said, after losing to the English, that his team was missing a goal, being very timid in front of goal. Van de Beek seemed to correct his coach after seven minutes. Miguel crossed for Arnau, again playing all over the field, and Valjent’s header clearance was put into the net by the Dutchman with a great volley. Goal in the first and last shot on goal from a Girona team that dissolved like a sugar cube.
An overly generous Muriqi immediately responded, who instead of shooting gave a very long pass to Larin. The Kosovar and the Canadian got along better later. Asprilla lost the ball, with a risky pass, and Larin mounted a counterattack that he himself ended with a shot into the net after a pass from his partner Muriqi. The Balkan was also the protagonist, in this case negative, at half an hour. Bryan Gil writhed on the ground due to a foul by the striker that Hernández Maeso did not whistle. The VAR, however, warned the referee, who after seeing the monitor showed Muriqi the red card for sticking his studs into Bryan Gil’s leg. The Catalan, whistled by the stands, chatted with Arrasate who finally complied with the decision when he saw the wound that his pupil had inflicted on the winger’s calf.
Far from giving it wings, the numerical superiority accommodated Girona and improved Mallorca, which redoubled its efforts. Larin was able to advance his team before the break with a header. But it was after the restart when the striker took advantage of a childish gift from Juanpe and Gazzaniga to sign his double. The center back gave a bad pass to his goalkeeper and the Argentine, in his attempt to clear, ran into Larin’s leg. The rebound entered the goal without remedy.
Victim of their failures, Girona had more than 40 minutes left to reverse the disaster. But not even playing for two days. Stuani, Misehouy, Abel Ruiz and Portu, all offensive players, entered the field. The visitors brought into their area a Mallorca comfortable in that role, energetic in every predictable movement of the Catalans. The red and whites played and played on the balcony of the area until the action ended in a safe center. Míchel became desperate on the sidelines and lived the final whistle with resignation. Girona forgot to compete in Palma
#Larin #condemns #Girona #prisoner #errors #lack #gunpowder
