Girona’s ambitions of breaking into the La Liga top six took a hit on Saturday with a 2-1 home defeat to Sevilla. Despite the loss, manager Michel remains optimistic about his team’s chances of European qualification.
The defeat leaves Girona in eighth place, a stark contrast to their impressive third-place finish last season, which secured their first-ever European campaign.
Michel, however, is confident his squad can turn things around: “One game does not take away the idea that we have the potential to fight for Europe. This is a step backward, but the second half of the season is ahead of us.
Girona briefly led the La Liga game against the run of play before halftime, capitalizing on Sevilla’s missed penalty. However, the visitors dominated the second half of the La Liga, scoring twice to clinch the win.
Reflecting on the match, Michel acknowledged his team’s shortcomings: “We lost too many balls in the build-up and lacked precision in attack. Sevilla are dangerous when given space, and they took advantage. We had possession but failed to create meaningful progression in the game.”
Despite the setback, Michel emphasized the importance of focusing on stability before targeting loftier goals: “The first step is achieving salvation to secure stability for the club, but we must also look upwards and build a team capable of fighting for Europe.
With the entire second half of the season ahead, Girona will aim to reignite their form and push for European qualification in what promises to be a competitive race.