Two Champions League novices do battle on Matchday 3 of the league phase as La Liga’s Girona take on Slovakian giants Slovan Bratislava.
It’s been a baptism of fire for the two sides on their Champions League bow, with neither team mustering a point through two games. However, while Slovan have been battered at Celtic Park and cast aside by Manchester City on home soil, Girona have been narrowly edged out by Paris Saint-Germain and Feyenoord.
Girona’s Matchday 2 clash with the Dutch side was a belter, with the Spaniards succumbing 3-2 following a topsy-turvy affair which boasted own goals, saved penalties at both ends, and a rare Donny van de Beek strike.
Tuesday’s hosts are struggling following a summer exodus of several key players. They’re a mid-table La Liga outfit – currently sitting 12th – but they’ll fancy their chances of securing their first continental result when Slovan come to town.
The visitors returned to the top of their domestic league with a derby victory at the weekend, but they’ve looked miles off the pace in Europe thus far.
Here’s 90min’s preview of Tuesday’s Champions League clash.
Girona vs Slovan Bratislava H2H Record
This is the first competitive fixture between Girona and Slovan Bratislava.
Current form (all competitions)
|
Girona |
Slovan Bratislava |
|---|---|
|
Girona 0-1 Real Sociedad – 19/10/24 |
Spartak Trnava 0-1 Slovan Bratislava – 16/10/24 |
|
Girona 2-1 Athletic Club – 06/10/24 |
Slovan Bratislava 1-1 Trencin – 05/10/24 |
|
Girona 2-3 Feyenoord – 02/10/24 |
Slovan Bratislava 0-4 Man City – 01/10/24 |
|
Celta Vigo 1-1 Girona – 29/09/24 |
Michalovce 2-4 Slovan Bratislava – 27/09/24 |
|
Girona 0-0 Rayo Vallecano – 25/09/24 |
Belusa 1-6 Slovan Bratislava – 24/09/24 |
|
Country |
TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
|
United Kingdom |
discovery+, discovery+ App, TNT Sports 6 |
|
United States |
Paramount+, ViX |
|
Canada |
DAZN |
Girona are far from healthy, with their situation only worsening at the weekend. Yaser Asprilla is the latest fitness casualty who won’t be available for this Champions League bout.
Asprilla is sidelined along with the experienced duo of Daley Blind and Oriol Romeu, as well as Ukrainian international Viktor Tsygankov, who’s nursing a thigh injury.
Portu is unlikely to feature due to an ankle injury, while Bryan Gil is a doubt. Former Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek should start in an attacking midfield position.
Girona predicted lineup vs Slovan Bratislava (4-3-2-1): Gazzaniga; Martinez, Krejci, Lopez, Gutierrez; Martin, Herrera, Solis; Van de Beek, Danjuma; Miovski.
The visitors boast a couple of familiar names within their ranks, but they will be without Slovakian international Juraj Kucka, once of Watford, after he underwent knee surgery in September. The veteran midfielder is back in training, but this fixture has arrived too soon for a return.
Former Tottenham defender Kevin Wimmer is poised for a start at the heart of Slovan’s defence. The Austrian scored the Slovakian club’s first Champions League goal of the campaign at Celtic Park on Matchday 1.
Slovan Bratislava predicted lineup vs Girona (4-2-3-1): Takac; Blackman, Kashia, Wimmer, Sharani; Bajric, Savvidis; Barseghyan, Tolic, Weiss Jr; Strelec.
Unlike their opponents, Girona certainly haven’t disgraced themselves through two Champions League matchdays and they should’ve mustered at least a couple of points. They are, however, riddled with injury heading into this game.
Both teams will view this fixture as a huge opportunity to secure a maiden league phase victory, with Slovan likely to cede territory and aim to hit their hosts in transition. Such a ploy has failed miserably thus far, and Girona’s cohesive positional play could get the better of them on Tuesday
Prediction: Girona 2-0 Slovan Bratislava
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