La Liga leaders Girona will be bidding to bounce back from a disappointing defeat in the Copa del Rey when they resume their league campaign away to Celta Vigo on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors, who are having a remarkable season, are top of the division, one point ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, while Celta sit 16th, only two points ahead of the relegation zone.
Match preview
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Celta will enter Sunday's affair off the back of successive losses to Real Sociedad, going down 1-0 to the Basque side in La Liga last weekend before suffering a 2-1 defeat in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday.
Rafael Benitez's side have managed to pick up four points from their last three league matches, though, beating Real Betis and drawing with Mallorca before the defeat to Real Sociedad last weekend.
The Sky Blues have struggled for consistency during the 2023-24 campaign, boasting a record of three wins, eight draws and 10 losses from 21 league matches, which has left them in 16th position on 17 points.
Celta are only two points clear of the relegation zone, and their home form this season has been particularly disappointing, picking up just 10 points from 11 games in front of their own fans, netting only eight times.
The Vigo outfit have actually won two of their last four La Liga matches with Girona, but they suffered a 1-0 defeat in the reverse meeting between the two sides earlier this season.
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Girona's stunning La Liga campaign continued last weekend with a 5-1 success over Sevilla, and the result moved them onto 52 points from 21 matches this season courtesy of a record of 16 wins, four defeats and one loss.
The Catalan outfit are top of the division, one point clear of second-placed Real Madrid, although Carlo Ancelotti's side do have a game in hand, and they would move to the top of the table on Saturday with a draw or a victory against Las Palmas.
Girona have been comfortably the best attacking side in Spain's top flight this season, scoring 51 times in their 21 matches, and they are in a brilliant position to secure a top-four finish, sitting 11 points clear of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao heading into the next set of La Liga fixtures.
Michel's side have the best away record in La Liga this season, picking up 24 points from their 10 matches courtesy of a record of seven wins and three defeats.
Girona will enter this match off the back of a defeat, though, with the Catalan team knocked out of the Copa del Rey in the quarter-finals on Wednesday evening courtesy of a 3-2 loss at Mallorca.
Team News
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Celta will be without the services of Joseph Aidoo and Franco Cervi through injury, while Jonathan Bamba is still representing Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Head coach Benitez made changes to his XI for the Copa del Rey contest on Tuesday, but the likes of Iago Aspas, Oscar Mingueza, Unai Nunez and Carlos Dotor will be back in the side for this match.
There will also be a return for Jorgen Strand Larsen, who has been in strong scoring form for Celta this season, finding the back of the net on seven occasions in Spain's top flight.
As for Girona, Eric Garcia, Juanpe, David Lopez, Joel Roca and Toni Villa remain unavailable for selection through injury.
Antal Yaakobishvili could feature in the middle of the defence due to the team's injury problems in that area of the field, and there will be a number of changes from the side that started in the Copa del Rey.
Among those to come into the XI will be centre-forward Artem Dovbyk, who has been in excellent form in his first-ever campaign in La Liga, finding the back of the net on 14 occasions in 20 appearances, in addition to providing six assists.
Celta Vigo possible starting lineup:
Guaita; Mingueza, U Nunez, Dominguez, M Sanchez; Rodriguez, Tapia, Dotor, De la Torre; Aspas, Larsen
Girona possible starting lineup:
Gazzaniga; Couto, Yaakobishvili, Blind, Gutierrez; Tsyhankov, A Garcia, Martin, Herrera, Savio; Dovbyk,
We say: Celta Vigo 1-2 Girona
Girona's form in La Liga this season has been so strong that it is really difficult to back against them here, especially considering their record on the road and Celta's struggles at home. We are expecting a tight game in terms of the scoreline, but Girona should have enough quality to secure all three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
