Michel calls for attacking edge from Girona
Michel has urged his Girona players to finish 2024 strongly to set them up for a successful second half of the season, starting with Mallorca in LaLiga this weekend.
After 16 games this season, Girona is ninth on the table, struggling to strike a balance between its UEFA Champions League and domestic commitments.
Michel's side was beaten 1-0 by Liverpool this week, leaving it 30th in the 36-team table and with only a slim chance of reaching the knockout stage.
Up next for Girona is Mallorca, which sits one place above it on the LaLiga table, but has lost its past two league games to Barcelona and Celta Vigo.
A victory for Michel's side could move it as high as sixth, and the Girona head coach acknowledged the importance of the upcoming fixture to its overall campaign.
"It is a key match. There are three games left to finish the first round, and we have to see how many points we have to collect to gauge where we will be in the standings," he said.
"Mallorca is above us but if we win things will change. We need to win games to be at the top, that is what I have told the players. There are three key games left to face the second round well and with guarantees."
Girona could be in for another difficult encounter at Estadi Mallorca Son Moix, despite not losing its past two LaLiga matches, which is its longest away unbeaten run in the competition this campaign.
It has won only one of its 12 away games against Mallorca across all competitions, winning 1-0 in LaLiga back in May 2015.
Michel has also lost his past two meetings with Mallorca in all competitions, this after going unbeaten in his first three managerial matches against it.
The Girona head coach lamented his side's recent poor return in front of goal, having failed to score in its past three matches in all competitions, and is hopeful of improvements moving forward.
"When you have the score in your favour, everything is easier to control in the game," Michel said.
"That's why it's very important to be able to score first and we have not scored in three games. This means we have to improve, nothing more.
"Football has a lot of equality and the small details mark the result a lot, so I think we have to control these small details better."
