'Too early to take stock' of Girona's European chances, says Michel

Michel says it is "too early" for Girona to know if they are doing enough to clinch European football for next season, as he targets more continuity.

Girona were the surprise package in LaLiga last season, earning a third-place finish, but they have struggled this time around with the added fixtures in the Champions League, and currently sit eighth in the table.

Michel's side ended a run of three games without a win before the winter break (D1 L2), earning a 3-0 victory over Real Valladolid. Only once this season have they managed consecutive clean sheets in the top-flight (two wins between August and September).

They face Deportivo Alaves, who have drawn all three of their LaLiga matches under Eduardo Coudet, in their first match after the winter break on Saturday, and would, at least temporarily, leapfrog Real Sociedad into seventh place.

Michel urged his side to gain some momentum and is confident they have done enough work to turn things around.

"I've always said that the team is training very well, and I expect them to be at their best. It's been three weeks since we last played, and we've had time to work," Michel told reporters.

Arribats a Vitoria! pic.twitter.com/JH7iV0jy6N
— Girona FC (@GironaFC) January 10, 2025

"It will be a difficult and complicated match. They have changed coach, and I think they are going to be more aggressive, tighter, a match with more duels than we have seen so far. I'm convinced that we'll give our best.

"The objective I have set for the team is to fight for Europe, but we have to win it on the pitch. It's too early to take stock, though. Around matchday 26, we will know where we have to look.

"The team has done some very good things, but we have lacked continuity. That's why we've worked on the mechanisms that have been less tight. We have to avoid disconnections that have hurt us a lot. This is one of the mistakes we need to fix. We therefore need more continuity."

Alaves have won two, drawn two and lost two of their six matches against Girona in LaLiga, repeating the same pattern: win, loss, draw. In their last meeting, the two sides played out a 2-2 draw in Vitoria last May.