Depleted Girona will not tiptoe around the Champions League, says Michel

Girona head coach Michel has insisted his side will not tiptoe around the challenges of the Champions League amid an injury crisis at the club.

Michel’s men welcome Slovan Bratislava to the Estadi Municipal de Montilivi on Tuesday, hoping to secure their first three points in the competition this season.

However, they must do so without several of their first-team players.

It was confirmed by Michel that Girona would be without striker Abel Ruiz and young playmaker Gabriel Misehouy, only adding to the Blanquivermells’ injury woes.

The pair join the likes of Viktor Tsygankov, Oriol Romeu, Jhon Solis, Portu, Bryan Gil, Pau Lopez and Yaser Asprilla as the players unavailable for the clash against the Slovakian outfit.

“We have no one back, and we are missing Abel Ruiz due to adductor problems. Misehouy is also missing because he can’t play,” Michel told reporters.

“Marc Aznar, (Juan) Arango, Selvi (Clua), and two goalkeepers will come from the reserve team and we have to evaluate them.

“Even so, we have 11 players to form a starting side.”

Having lost to Paris Saint-Germain and Feyenoord, Girona’s absentees have made earning that first win a little bit tougher.

Should Girona lose on Tuesday, they would become the first Spanish side to suffer defeats in each of their first three Champions League games.

See you tomorrow at Montilivi! pic.twitter.com/dOvaql80AW

— Girona FC (@GironaFC) October 21, 2024

But Michel wants his players to appreciate where they find themselves this year after finishing third in LaLiga last season.

“Playing in the Champions League with Girona cannot be just another game,” Michel said.

“I don’t want to tiptoe around this competition and that people don’t give it the value it has,” the coach said.

“It has a lot of merit for what we have done and also for the club, which has made efforts, and we have to enjoy it and value it.

“For me, tomorrow is a very special day, just like the two previous matches.”