Valencia returned to claim victory at Mestalla. They had not won a match since March and had not come out of the bottom since the start of the league. Nobody contributed more to their victory than an expectant Girona because the goals were involuntarily scored by the red-and-white centre-back Juanpe. Baraja’s team found in the lucky shot from medium distance the punch that they did not have due to the lack of forwards like Hugo Duro and Rafa Mir. Girona lacked strength, courage and footballers after their defeat in Paris. The line-up at Mestalla had nothing to do with the one at the Parc des Princes. Only Gazzaniga, Krejci and Romeu were repeated. The rotations are still not working because there is no connection between the new players and those who have just arrived at Montilivi.
2
Mamardashvili, Vazquez Alcalde, César Tárrega, Cristhian Ibarguen, Thierry Correia (Foulquier, min. 79), Enzo Barrenechea (Hugo Guillamón, min. 68), Diego López, Javi Guerra, Pepelu, Luis Rioja (Sergi Canos, min. 87) and Dani Gómez (Germán Valera, min. 79)
0
Gazzaniga, Alejandro Francés, Juanpe, Ladislav Krejci, Daley Blind, Jhon Solís, Arnaut Danjuma (Bryan Gil Salvatierra, min. 78), Yáser Asprilla, Oriol Romeu (Yangel Herrera, min. 61), Bojan Miovski and Abel Ruiz (Gabriel Misehouy , min. 61)
Goals 1-0 min. 55: Luis Rioja. 2-0 min. 58: Dani Gomez.
Referee Alejandro Jose Hernandez Hernandez
Yellow cards Juanpe (min. 24), Arnaut Danjuma (min. 44), Pepelu (min. 60), Javi Guerra (min. 82) and Sergi Canos (min. 89)
Although Girona took possession and Valencia played more straight and direct, neither team seemed to be in a hurry until the break at Mestalla. There was time for everything, the pace was very slow and the game was far from Mamardashvili and Gazzaniga. Given the lack of creative means, Míchel opted for a clean exit from the left with Blind. The passing line, however, had little continuity because the forwards did not mix —Miovski and Abel Ruiz— and the wingers —Danjuma and Asprilla— did not unbalance an opponent who was stronger in defence than in an attack reduced to Gómez.
Valencia opted for a counterattack, which was very tense and more vertical, conditioned by the club’s delicate economic situation and by its status as bottom of the league. The best chance, and also the only shot on goal in the first half, was from a dead ball that Diego López sent over Gazzaniga’s crossbar. Baraja’s boys were more active than a flat Girona, without ball circulation or challenge despite the fact that Míchel put together a very different team to the one in Paris.
The players of both teams woke up after the break with a good shot on each goal from Dani Gómez and Danjuma. The goal came in any case from a rebound after a shot from Rioja that hit Juanpe and confused Gazzaniga. The play was repeated immediately after a shot from Dani Gómez that hit Juanpe again. Valencia’s pressure and Girona’s inaccuracies lit up the scoreboard in the anxious Mestalla stadium.
Although Mamardashivili was splendid against Misehouy, Girona were unable to get into the game with Michel’s substitutions. They had neither luck nor ingenuity, and even less depth, to surprise a rival that was strengthened with a result that gives them air after a demanding schedule that began with the defeat against Barcelona. The lack of reaction by the white-and-reds was unexpected if one looks at Michel’s career and way of working. The few training sessions penalise a team that has not yet become accustomed to handling itself in the League and the Champions League.
The competitive stress of Girona, who have lost three games in a row, contrasted with the concentration of Valencia, more rested and fortunate, protected by Mamardashivili. Lacking speed and volume of play, Girona was unable to prove its status as favourite because its squad is not yet as good and as wide as Míchel claims. There are starters and substitutes according to the diagnosis of Mestalla.
