Londoners to test their squad depth: prediction for Girona vs Arsenal
The friendly clash between Girona and London’s Arsenal is set for August 1 at the Montilivi Stadium in Girona. For the English champions, this will be their second fixture of the current pre-season campaign, while the Catalan side will be playing their fourth warm-up match of the summer.
Girona: rebuilding after a painful relegation
The Catalans approach the new season in a challenging position. After finishing 19th in La Liga, the team dropped out of Spain’s top flight, and long-time manager Michel was replaced at the helm by Kike Alvarez.
Under their new boss, Girona have played three friendlies: they beat Olot 3-1, lost 0-1 to Alaves, and played out a 3-3 draw against Castellon. In the latest outing, Vladyslav Vanat bagged a brace, so despite defensive issues, the Catalans retain serious attacking potential.
Alvarez still has Viktor Tsygankov, Bryan Gil, and Donny van de Beek at his disposal. The Dutchman missed almost the entire previous season due to a severe Achilles tendon injury, but has already played 45 minutes in the match against Castellon.
Arsenal: youth get a chance to impress Arteta
Mikel Arteta’s side kicked off their pre-season with a confident 3-0 win over MK Dons in a closed-door friendly. The goals came from Reiss Nelson, Ethan Nwaneri, and 18-year-old striker Kidah O’Neil, while new signing Christos Tzolis picked up an assist.
However, the English squad is far from full strength. Jurrien Timber has returned to London to continue his recovery, William Saliba is sidelined with a back injury, and Christian Nørgaard’s participation is in doubt due to an unspecified issue.
Piero Hincapié, Kai Havertz, and Viktor Gyökeres, having wrapped up their World Cup duties, have already joined the team. But in Girona, Arteta is likely to once again put his faith in the young guns, including Marley Salmon, Max Dauman, and Nwaneri.
Match facts and head-to-head
- In their previous encounter, Arsenal defeated Girona 2-1 in the Champions League.
- The Catalans have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their three summer friendlies.
- Arsenal opened their pre-season with a 3-0 win over MK Dons.
Attack will decide the outcome: prediction for Girona vs Arsenal
Girona have the tools to exploit Arsenal’s experimental defensive line. Vanat is already in good shape, and the presence of Gil and Tsygankov gives the hosts plenty of options for quick transitions and creating chances in front of Kepa’s goal.
However, the Catalans’ defense still looks far too shaky. Even without most of their regular starters, Arsenal boast a talented attacking group, and Nwaneri, Dauman, and Tzolis could capitalize on open spaces and settle the match with individual brilliance.
