GIRONA, Spain (Reuters) – Girona manager Michel said on Friday he is counting on the club’s fans to give the team a much needed boost as they prepare to host Real Sociedad in LaLiga on Saturday without the help of key players sidelined by injuries.
After a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao which ended a six-game winless streak in all competitions, last year’s surprise package Girona will be missing up to eight players, including Pau Lopez, Yaser Asprilla, Bryan Gil and Daley Blind.
“We have seven games in 21 days and we are short of players. We will have to call up five players from our youth academy for tomorrow’s match,” Michel told a press conference on Friday.
“(Real Sociedad) have a great squad and should fight to be at the top, but I also think the same about us. It’s important that the fans are with us, I didn’t like the way they booed us the other day (against Athletic).
“My players fight for every ball and they deserve to wear the Girona shirt. I hope the field will be full, we need it very much in such a historic season.”
Backed by the wealth of their Abu Dhabi owners and only four years after being promoted to Spain’s first division, Girona went toe-to-toe with Real Madrid in the title race last season, beating Barcelona twice before finishing third and qualifying for European football for the first time.
However, they have struggled this season with only three wins in all competitions, including losses to Feyenoord and Paris St Germain in their first two Champions League matches.
“We have players with personality and character. They also have a special motivation to be here. I’m worried about injuries because of the calendar… There’s the Copa del Rey, two Champions League games, LaLiga… I’m worried, of course, but it is what it is,” Michel said.
“The players do everything in their power to make our fans proud of them. That’s why I think that together we are stronger and at home we need the fans to be our 12th player.”
(Reporting by Fernando Kallas in Madrid)
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