Girona will play against Villarreal on Sunday, with the return to the team of Juanpe and Javi Hernández and the debut of Viktor Tsygankov as the most important innovations. The brand new signing of rojiblanco will travel to Vila-real with the team, although it’s almost impossible for him to enjoy minutes because, as Míchel announced, “he’s not ready to play yet”. It is intended that he will begin to engage in the group dynamic and enjoy him ahead of the second round of the competition. Who is They certainly won’t travel are David López, who suffers a hamstring injury in his left leg, Ibrahima Kebe or Reinier, who continue their recovery process. Girona don’t expect an easy duel against Villarreal and Míchel didn’t hesitate to use the word “resilience” because they know they will have to suffer. Despite everything, the coach is optimistic and also had time to talk about the transfer market. It was clear when he reflected that the arrival of Viktor Tsygankov raises the level of the side, allows them to take a leap, revealing that Terrats had asked him to leave Villarreal B to have more minutes. The club’s next steps should be the signing of central defender Alexander Callens and the departure of Samu Saiz and Manu Vallejo. With them he hardly got “wet” as “they are open situations”. Of course, if he is tied to the central defender, “the selection will be closed.”
Template status: “David López will be out against Villarreal, but it’s less than we thought. I may be able to play next week. Ibrahima Kebe and Reinier remain out due to injury. The rest of the players are doing well. Juanpe and Javi Hernández are going to travel and are here to play, both have taken steps forward”.
Tsygankov: “He is a great signing, a player with a lot of quality. It will help us improve the team and that speaks volumes about what the club, the sports management and Pere Guardiola are doing, who have done a lot to bring Viktor to Girona. He can playing as a midfielder, as a winger… with him I have more resources in attack”.
Villareal and Alex Baena: “Villarreal are a great team, at the moment they are in great shape, because with Quique Setién I like the style, they are a team that plays spectacularly with the ball. It will be a very difficult game for us, because we will have to play well defensively, be very focused. We will have to have resilience, sometimes it will make us suffer. Baena? He is a spectacular player, I already told him at the beginning of the season that I was lucky enough to give him a years to train and enjoy his talent, his football. He knew he would stay with Villarreal and not return to Girona. As a person he is a crack and I have a lot of respect for him. As a player all of Girona enjoyed him” .
Villarreal model: “Everyone has their way, but it is a club where things happen in a spectacular way. But we have also taken steps forward. The signing of Viktor Tsygankov is the best proof. Many clubs would like to have him.”
The defeat in the Villarreal Cup: “They are very good. His first match against Madrid was spectacular. Hopefully yesterday’s effort will be noticed on Sunday. But they have a great team and Setién may change some players and the team will not lower its level.”
Quality leap of the Girona team: “Little by little, but it is a big leap in quality to have players like Tsygankov. Tomorrow he will travel with the team, but he is not yet ready to play. In two weeks the footballer will be able to play with the team. His level is great, I think the club has taken a step forward. For other players it is important that someone like Viktor wanted to come here”.
winter market: “If a central defender comes, the selection is already closed. But I prefer not to talk about names because things are not closed yet. Terrats yes, on a personal level he is a very important victim for me, a great player and a great person. He has always given 100 percent for the team. But he asked me to play and Oriol Romeu knows he is a high level player and he wanted more minutes at Villarreal B. I am sure he will do well and come back next year. Samu Saiz? It’s a personal matter at this point and I’d rather not talk about it until it’s closed because his situation is still open. Van Callens the same and a different name, the same. But I always talk to Quique Cárcel, I have a lot of confidence in his work and I am sure that every decision will be the best for the club”.
Last two matches of the first round against Villarreal and Barcelona: “I draw all six (jokes). They are very difficult two great teams, but we are not giving up. The team is ready to play on Sunday and have a great game. The word used is resilience because sometimes Villarreal will make us suffer.