Athletic Club – Girona: Michel Manifests A Rude Reality Check (3-2)

Michel mentioned that Girona should finish in the top four by the end of May after the final whistle. But in light of previous comments about end goals— or lack thereof— one may argue that it was a bump back to the ground. A season of surprises tied its targets to the more modest feat of Champions League football as Athletic asserted pressure over a right to possess the ball.
Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere.

Athletic Club are angling for the finishing touches to crown their latest season of stability. Flying into third position with five wins and two draws in their last seven LaLiga games of 2023, the chase for a top four finish for the first time in a decade was alive. The squad slipped in the standings in the new year, but other objectives are in sight. Basque rivals trail by six points, while defeats of Barcelona and Atlético Madrid have advanced their charge to within ninety minutes of the final of the Copa del Rey.

Girona's gallant effort is yearning for a second wind. The club had collected over 50 points by the end of January, sitting in first place. However, Real reminded them of their limits— strolling toward a