Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
The final round of the Spanish La Liga brings a showdown between Atlético Madrid and Girona. The match will take place on Sunday, May 25, with kickoff scheduled for 14:00 Central European Time. I’m backing a bet on this game’s scoring output.
Match preview
Last season’s success and Champions League qualification ended up backfiring for Girona. The team completely fell apart on all fronts, and the spark that once defined them has all but vanished.
It’s clear that a major overhaul awaits the club this summer, but the board has placed full trust in Míchel, who will remain at the helm of the Catalan side despite this season’s disappointment. The main issue throughout the campaign was the striker position, as they failed to adequately replace the departed Dovbyk.
In recent matches, veteran Cristhian Stuani took on the role of main goal scorer, helping the team avoid a relegation scrap. Remarkably, at 38 years old, the Uruguayan forward became Girona’s top scorer this season.
This final match holds no tournament significance for Girona. They are four points clear of the relegation zone, so there’s nothing left to worry about. What stands out, though, is their tally of goals conceded—worse than all but La Liga’s biggest underachievers, Las Palmas and Valladolid, who will start next season in the Segunda.
For most of the season, Atlético tried to challenge Real and Barcelona for the title and even led the table for a time. As the season drew to a close, it became clear that Simeone’s men had dropped out of the race, and a third-place finish looks well deserved.
After a season away, the team reclaimed the bronze medals they had lost to Girona last year. Overall, Los Colchoneros performed at their usual level, relying on a solid defense, but this time ceded the title of best defense to Athletic Bilbao.
This season marks the departure of the club’s long-time leader and superstar Antoine Griezmann. The Frenchman, now past his prime, can no longer deliver what’s expected, so the farewell seems only natural.
Atlético’s main attacking threats have become Alexander Sørloth and Julián Álvarez, who together accounted for more than half of the team’s goals this season. Some targeted reinforcements will likely be needed this summer if they’re to challenge for the title again.
Match facts
- Girona haven’t managed to win two games in a row for over two months.
- The Catalans have won just once in their last eight home matches.
- Atlético have won only half of their previous six fixtures.
- Simeone’s side are winless and goalless in their last three away games.
- Girona average 1.5 goals per home game, while Atlético average 1.3 goals per away match.
Probable lineups
- Girona: Gazzaniga, Frances, Martínez, Krejci, Blind, Herrera, Arthur Melo, Romeu, Portu, Tsygankov, Stuani.
- Atlético Madrid: Oblak, Lenglet, Le Normand, Galán, Llorente, Lino, Gallagher, De Paul, Simeone, Sørloth, Álvarez.
H2H
- These teams haven’t drawn against each other since 2019.
- They’ve met just five times at Girona’s ground: three draws and one win apiece.
Prediction
This match no longer has any tournament implications for either side. Girona have gradually pulled themselves out of crisis and will want to end the season on a high, but Míchel’s men will face a tough challenge against the Madrid side. Atlético’s away form is much worse than at home, but they still come into this match as favorites. I don’t expect a spectacle, so I’m taking under 3.5 total goals.
