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Girona logo
La Liga | Gameweek 20
Feb 5, 2023 at 3.15pm UK
Estadi Municipal de Montilivi
Valencia logo

Girona
1 - 0
Valencia

Garcia (63')
Stuani (79')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Guillamon (61'), Cavani (66'), Gaya (66'), Ozkacar (90+3')

Preview: Girona vs. Valencia - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's La Liga clash between Girona and Valencia, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Valencia will be bidding to win in La Liga for the first time since the start of November when they travel to Girona on Sunday afternoon.

Los Che will enter the contest off the back of a 2-0 loss to Real Madrid on Thursday night, while Girona suffered a 1-0 defeat to Barcelona in their last match on January 28.


Match preview

Girona coach Michel reacts on January 28, 2023© Reuters

Girona secured a return to this level through last season's Segunda Division playoffs, so finishing 17th or higher in La Liga this term would go down as a successful campaign.

The White and Reds have won five, drawn six and lost eight of their 19 league matches this season to collect 21 points, which has left them in 12th spot in the table, two points ahead of the relegation zone.

The battle to remain in La Liga this season is set to be fierce, with only three points separating 11th-placed Almeria from Cadiz in 18th, while only Elche at the bottom have been cut adrift.

Girona recorded a 2-1 victory over Sevilla on January 14 but have lost their last two matches, both 1-0, to Villarreal and Barcelona.

Michel's side certainly have some winnable games over the next few weeks, and their home form could be key, having picked up a respectable 15 points from 10 league games in 2022-23.

Valencia's Samuel Dias Lino celebrates scoring their first goal with Edinson Cavani on January 11, 2023© Reuters

Valencia, meanwhile, started life after Gennaro Gattuso with a 2-0 loss to Real Madrid on Thursday night; Voro is currently in charge of Los Che on an interim basis, as the club search for a Gattuso replacement.

The Italian had a record of seven wins, six draws and nine defeats from 22 matches in charge of Valencia, and he was sacked at the end of January following the 1-0 defeat at Real Valladolid.

Valencia have not actually won in the league since beating Real Betis 3-0 on November 10, losing four of their last five matches, picking up just a single point in the process.

The six-time Spanish champions are currently 14th in the table, only one point clear of the relegation zone, while they are now 11 points behind sixth-placed Real Betis.

Los Che finished fourth in back-to-back seasons in 2017-18 and 2018-19, but they were 13th in 2020-21, and it would not be a shock to see them end this campaign in a similar position.

Valencia actually have the fourth-worst away record in La Liga this term, having picked up just six points from their nine matches on their travels, scoring only eight times in the process.

Girona La Liga form:


Girona form (all competitions):


Valencia La Liga form:


Valencia form (all competitions):



Team News

Girona's Arnau Martinez pictured on October 8, 2022© Reuters

Girona will be without the services of Arnau Martinez following his booking against Barcelona last time out.

Santiago Bueno will be back from a suspension of his own, though, with the 24-year-old potentially replacing Martinez in the starting side for this weekend's contest.

Yan Couto, David Lopez, Ibrahima Kebe and Reinier are all missing through injury, meanwhile, so it is likely to be a similar starting side from the one that featured against Barcelona.

As for Valencia, Gabriel Paulista is suspended due to his red card in the loss to Real Madrid on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the visitors will also be missing Justin Kluivert, Thierry Correia, Nico Gonzalez and Jaume Domenech through injury.

Due to the relatively quick turnaround, there are expected to be a couple of changes from the side that started at Bernabeu, with Marcos Andre and Ilaix Moriba potentially coming into the first XI for this match.

However, Edinson Cavani should again lead the line, with the Uruguay international scoring five times in La Liga during the 2022-23 campaign.

Girona possible starting lineup:
Gazzaniga; Bueno, Espinosa, Juanpe, Gutierrez; Villa, Romeu, A Garcia, Riquelme; Herrera, Castellanos

Valencia possible starting lineup:
Mamardashvili; Foulquier, Comert, Diakhaby, Gaya; Musah, Moriba, Almeida; Andre, Cavani, Lino


SM words green background

We say: Girona 1-1 Valencia

Valencia have actually won four of their last five La Liga matches against Girona, including a 1-0 success in the reverse game earlier this season, but we are finding it difficult to back Los Che due to their away struggles this term. Girona have drawn six times in the league this term, and we are backing another stalemate here.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 2.5:data


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Written by
Matt Law

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Game History

How you voted: Girona vs Valencia

Girona
47.5%
Draw
25.4%
Valencia
27.1%
59
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Girona's Arnau Martinez pictured on January 28, 2023
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona18122450203038
2Atletico MadridAtletico17115131112038
3Real Madrid17114237162137
4Athletic Bilbao1896327161133
5Mallorca188371821-327
6Villarreal167542827126
7Real Sociedad177461611525
8Osasuna176742225-325
9Real BetisBetis176652021-124
10GironaGirona176472325-222
11Sevilla176471823-522
12Celta Vigo176382528-321
13Rayo Vallecano165561819-120
14Las PalmasLas Palmas175482227-519
15Leganes174671523-818
16Getafe173771114-316
17AlavesAlaves174491928-916
18Espanyol1642101528-1314
19Real ValladolidValladolid1733111234-2212
20Valencia152491323-1010


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