PSV and Girona, both facing significant injury woes with five and eight absences respectively, are set to battle for crucial points in this edition of the UEFA Champions League.
The new format of the Champions League has its advantages, and it would be premature to suggest otherwise. However, it also brings two major drawbacks. Firstly, there is the increased number of matches, which has expanded from six in the previous format to eight in this one. Secondly, there is the inconsistency of the schedule; no more two-legged ties exist, leading to a scenario where each team faces unique opponents in an order dictated by a computer draw. These challenges have hit PSV and Girona particularly hard. The Dutch side will be without Veerman, Schouten, Dest, Hirving Lozano, and Nagalo, while Girona is missing Tsygankov, Francés, Asprilla, Danjuma, Ivan Martín, Solís, Portu, and Abel Ruiz. PSV have yet to secure a win and sit at the bottom of the group in 28th place, while Girona has three points and is in 24th (follow the live match on As.com).
However, lamenting their misfortunes does little in the world of football, particularly in the Champions League, where both teams desperately need at least a point today. Girona faces a brutal schedule ahead with fixtures against Liverpool, Milan, and Arsenal, while PSV’s path includes matches against Brest, Red Star Belgrade, and Liverpool, suggesting a highly competitive encounter where both teams will seek to dominate and attack. Both teams prefer possession, aiming for vertical play while rarely resorting to long balls. In summary, this match promises to be of high caliber.
While Girona arrives buoyed by a solid victory over Leganés, PSV comes off a loss to Ajax — a result likely celebrated by Van de Beek and Blind, who are expected to start for the Amsterdam side. Nevertheless, Eindhoven’s squad is currently atop the Eredivisie, having won every match except the one against Ajax. Their attacking trio, featuring Noa Lang, Bakayoko, and former Barcelona player Luuk de Jong, is a force to be reckoned with, having scored 39 goals in 11 league matches. Moreover, they boast an impressive two-year unbeaten run at home.
The central query for Míchel’s team is what price they are willing to pay for success in the Champions League. With a long list of injuries depleting their squad, the manager has limited options but still some to consider. Pau López returns to the squad, remaining the backup to Gazzaniga, while Jastin, who missed the season due to pre-season injury, is also available. The key decision revolves around whether to continue relying on players like Miguel, Arnau, Van de Beek, or David López—who have been heavily featured—or to rotate in some younger talent from the reserves. Options are scarce. Miovski, who was injured in the match against Leganés, may yield his place to the reliable Stuani, while David López could be rested in defense to provide some relief.
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