Copa Del Rey
Real Madrid vs Girona Preview
- Date: Jan. 24, 2019
- Time: 3:30 p.m. (est)
- Network: beIN Sports
- Location: Madrid, Spain
- Venue: Santiago Bernabéu
- Seating Capacity: 81,044
The Santiago Bernabéu will host the first leg of the quarterfinals between Real Madrid and visitors Girona.
‘Los Blancos’ have been unlucky in their league campaign but have high hopes to stay in Cup competition.
Meanwhile, Girona overcame a 4-3 deficit aggregate against Atlético de Madrid in the previous round and aims to continue gaining ground in the competition.
Views From Both Camps
Real Madrid boss Santiago Solari is optimistic about their chance in Cup. However, he knows his team is still not playing their best yet.
“We’ll have to try and reproduce what we did against Sevilla and what how we have performed in some our previous games, like the matches against Celta, Viktoria Plzen and Roma and produce that solidity. We put in a strong all-round performance against Sevilla and now have to take that into this Copa del Rey tie”.
“The only formula that works revolves around commitment, enthusiasm and excitement. It’s the only way to compete and show that same passion. The players are at the heart everything we’re trying to do and they have to put their heart and soul into every game”.
“I see the team as being really motivated and up for all of the competitions. I don’t see there as being any difference between the Copa del Rey and LaLiga games. Obviously in the Champions League, when the anthem sounds, that gets everyone fired up”
Meanwhile, Girona manager Eusebio Sacristán knows that they have a good chance against the Spanish giants.
“At the moment Real Madrid are rediscovering their form and so it’ll be very difficult to try and surprise them.”
“We’re going to play our own game but we will have to adapt slightly for tomorrow’s match. We want to show the best of ourselves to be able to continue improving.”
Possible Lineups
Real Madrid starting XI: Courtois; Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo; Modric, Casemiro, Ceballos; Vazquez, Benzema, Vinicius.
Girona starting XI: Bounou, Alcaca, Espinosa, Juanpe; Pons, Timor, Luiz, Garcia; Stuani, Doumbia, Portu.
Prediction
The two sides have only met three previous times. The Catalan side took a surprising 2-1 victory in the first meeting in 2017 at the Estadi Montilivi. However, the following encounters have both been won by a larger margin with a 10-4 overall to the advantage of the capital side.
Nevertheless, there is always a special annotation when a Catalan side meets with Real Madrid. Regardless, Madrid’s side have a much better side that should easily take the first game.
Real Madrid 3 – 1 Girona
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Photo credit to Real Madrid via Flickr
