Real Madrid will host second-place Girona on Saturday in one of the fixtures of the season, as second place, two poins behind Los Blancos, travel to the league leaders. Girona are set to be weakened, but how much is a question they are waiting for answers to.
With five minutes to go in their 0-0 draw with Real Sociedad on Saturday night past, Yangel Herrera picked up his fifth yellow card of the season, ruling him out of the Bernabeu clash. Meanwhile Daley Blind went to complain to the referee Jesus Gil Manzano following the final whistle, and picked up a suspension with his yellow card too.
On the touchline, a furious Michel Sanchez lost his mind following a foul given to La Real, in a match which saw Girona disallowed a goal in highly controversial fashion. Despite Michel claiming he did not say anything out of order to the fourth official, he too picked up a suspension with a red card.
As per Marca, the Catalan side will appeal the cards given to Blind and Michel, in hope of getting them rescinded. Girona feel that the sanctions from the referee were excessive in nature.
Girona are also sweating on the fitness of their and La Liga’s top scorer in Artem Dovbyk, who missed the Real Sociedad clash with a knee injury. Diario AS claim there is optimism in the Girona camp over the fitness of Dovbyk, who is regarded as merely ‘a doubt’ for the clash. His presence could well make the difference, adding a different and more physical element against a struggling Real Madrid defence.
