Girona Vs Liverpool Prediction: Reds Mission To Win Sixth Win In A Row
JAKARTA - Liverpool will continue their journey in the Champions League for the 2024/2025 season against Girona, a surprise club from La Liga, on Tuesday 10 December. Playing at the Estadi Municipal de Montilivi, Arne Slot's squad is determined to maintain their perfect record in this competition.
This match is a challenge for Girona, who is struggling at the European level for the first time in their history. Meanwhile, Liverpool came in fresh spirits after their domestic match against Everton had to be postponed due to the Darragh storm that hit England.
Despite missing the opportunity to play at the Merseyside derby last weekend, Liverpool remained solid at the top of the Premier League standings. Arne Slot took advantage of this pause to prepare his team for Girona.
Liverpool last drew 3-3 against Newcastle United in the Premier League, which decided their streak of seven wins. However, these results did not reduce the confidence of the Reds. Liverpool have scored more than two goals in their last nine games in all competitions.
A 2-0 win over Real Madrid on the fifth matchday of the Champions League is proof of Liverpool's greatness in Europe this season. At the top of the table with 15 points, they have secured at least a place in the playoffs.
However, a new test came with the absence of several key players. Alexis Mac Allister had to serve a ban on playing due to the accumulation of yellow cards. In addition, injuries hit players such as Alisson Becker, Federico Chiesa, Diogo Jota, Kostas Tsimikas, Ibrahima Konate, and Conor Bradley.
Arne Slot is likely to rely on Curtis Jones for a duet with Ryan Gravenberch in midfield. On the front lines, Mohamed Salah, who has recorded four assists in the Champions League this season, will be a mainstay to create goal chances.
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Girona, who last season surprised many by finishing third in La Liga, has struggled to maintain their consistency this season. With just 22 points from 16 matches, Girona is currently in eighth position in La Liga standings.
Girona's performance in the Champions League was also less convincing. They only won one in five games, namely when they beat Slovan Bratislava. The other four matches ended in defeat, including the latest defeat against Sturm Graz.
The injury problem also interfered with Girona's preparation. Viktor Tsygankov was confirmed absent due to an adductor injury, while Yangel Herrera was also not available due to a calf injury. Even so, Girona regained Arnau Martinez, who had finished playing bans.
Coach Girona, Michel, is likely to rely on Yaser Asprilla to fill the left wing position left by Tsygankov. Bryan Gil and Arnaut Danjuma compete for a position on the left flank.
In this match, Liverpool came as a strong favorite to win this game. The experience and quality of their squad is far above Girona, who is adapting to European competitions.
However, Girona had the advantage of playing at home, where they won three straight wins before losing to Real Madrid last weekend. Support from their fans could be an additional motivation to put up a fierce fight against Liverpool.
This match will be the first meeting between Girona and Liverpool. Historically, Liverpool have had quite a hard time playing on Spanish soil, although they managed to win in their last two visits against the Spanish side in the Champions League.
On the other hand, Girona has never faced a English club in an official competition. Their statistics in the Champions League this season show that they are struggling against big teams, including Paris Saint-Germain and PSV Eindhoven.
With the quality of their squad and impressive performance in the Champions League this season, Liverpool are predicted to come out victorious in this match. However, Girona is not without chances, especially if they are able to take advantage of support from supporters in Montilivi.
Liverpool seem to be adding another three points to extend their perfect record in the Champions League, while Girona will have to work extra hard if they want to keep their hopes in this competition.
Estimated Lineup Of Players
Girona: Gazzaniga; A Martinez, Lopez, Krejci, Gutierrez; Martin, Romeu; Asprilla, Van de Beek, Danjuma; Miovski
Liverpool: Neckneck; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Gakpo