Girona vs Slovan Bratislava prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-10-21 19:00.
[p]This UEFA Champions League (UCL) venture is Girona’s first campaign in any UEFA competition, yet it has definitely not gone to plan, losing both their fixtures 1-0 and 3-2 to PSG and Feyenoord respectively. They frustratingly conceded late in both matches en route to defeat, and adding salt to the wounds is the fact that three of those four concessions came via own goals![/p]
[p]The White and Reds have already equalled the tally for the most own goals in a single UCL campaign, set by Fenerbahçe in 2007/08, and are now at risk of becoming the first Spanish side to suffer defeats in their first three games of the competition proper. Under pressure manager MĂchel had his back firmly against the wall as that Feyenoord defeat was his side’s sixth successive game without victory (D2, L4), and falling to a 1-0 loss at home to Real Sociedad at the weekend wouldn’t have improved confidence in the camp.[/p]
[p]The Spanish outfit welcome fellow UCL main draw debutants Slovan Bratislava to the Estádio Municipal de Montilivi for a first-ever encounter between the two teams, although the Slovakians are no strangers to Spanish opposition with this being their eighth such encounter. They’ve gone winless in their last six major European games against Spanish sides (D2, L4), after famously beating Barcelona in the 1969 Cup Winners’ Cup final to claim their only piece of continental silverware.[/p]
[p]The Sky Blues join their hosts on two defeats from their opening two games, having suffered heavy 5-1 and 4-0 defeats to Celtic and Manchester City respectively. That continued a poor run for them in main draw matches of UEFA competitions, as since winning their opening two games of their UEFA Conference League campaign last term, they’ve now lost six of their last eight matches (W1, D1).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Donny van de Beek’s recent curse continued when he scored his first Girona goal against Feyenoord, as that was the fifth consecutive club game he’s lost when getting on the scoresheet. He’ll have to get past fellow #6 in centre-back Kevin Wimmer, who scored his fourth successive goal away from home when venturing forward against Celtic.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: There have been goals in both halves in nine of Girona’s last 12 home games.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Peter Stavrinou[/i][/p]