Napoli punished a good Girona badly

A Girona trying to press and a Napoli with a very clear idea. So the match began at the Stadio Teofilo Patini. The first scare soon came after a play by the Italians on the left wing that would end in Mario Rui’s shot and the rebound that Osimhen would put in the goal, albeit offside.

The first response from Girona was not long in coming. It was straight from an old acquaintance of the Neapolitans, David López, who dangerously finished off a corner kicked by his teammate Ramon Terrats. Although it is still preseason, the players have started to accumulate minutes in the legs and start to fight for a place in the eleven. That helped start the game with pressure and dynamism from both teams.

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We didn’t even get to the 10th minute and we got the first good save of the match. The hero was Juan Carlos after he himself missed a short pass trying to get the ball. Lobotka was the malicious shooter in search of Guadalajara’s goalkeeper squad. Míchel’s found themselves in a hard, rocky and well-positioned Naples. The traits of a European team are there in the form of order and pace of play, which made it difficult for Girona to get ahead of their style of play.

One of the surprises came 20 minutes into the match after Politano’s injury. The former Inter player, who was also wanted by Gattuso’s Valencia, had to leave Kvaratskhelia. And meanwhile, the Girona team began to surpass the Italian team in some actions, allowing them to begin to have a good feeling in a three-quarter field zone.

So far so good fortune for Girona. In the 27th minute the can was opened in favor of the locals after a good run by Lozano who eventually crossed low to Osimhen. It wasn’t the Nigerian who introduced it inside, but David López was trying to avoid the striker’s shot.

Napoli took the lead, and at 1-0 they started to loosen up and become more of the ball. On the contrary, Girona had to close the gaps before the arrival of the band and the threats of Osimhen himself. Míchel’s men, however, have always been true to their style: playing the ball from the back regardless of rival pressure. The game rests on the two strategies of Girona and has a popularity for Ureña, the youth squad from Figueres who leaves great sensations in this preseason for only 19 years.

The second part started with the same script as the first. Another mistake by Juan Carlos in releasing the ball was about to cost Míchel’s men. The star of the shot is the most dangerous man among the Italians, Osimhen again. The Nigerian is in all risk actions. Although Girona brought on Samu Saiz, Taty Castellanos and Yan Couto at the start of the second 45 minutes, they had trouble getting the ball out due to good pressure from their rivals. It also started with opportunities this time. Kvaratskhelia had a clear chance after a personal move that could have extended the lead.

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Things changed just before half-time in the game when Girona only needed to string together two plays for the team’s magician, Samu Saiz, to unleash a first-class pass between the lines that left Taty Castellanos to be alone in a small place. It was just enough for the Argentine to comb the ball to equalize and find the goal again in his second game with the Catalan team. From then on, Míchel’s men, who changed to four defenders, began to have leather and play more easily. So more techniques came with Samu Saiz’s final passes, which put balls where the player wanted.

In the very opening match three chances came in a row. The first, after a good combination by the Catalans, ended with Couto hitting the woodwork from the edge of the area. In the same match a header from Osimhen came off the crossbar after a cross. As soon as Juan Carlos got the goal, Girona again enjoyed a step down the wing that Couto dangerously crossed, though no luck as nobody could get to the ball.

The hydration break suits Napoli

During the hydration break, Spalletti rotated the team like socks and replaced the entire team, except for Kvaratskhelia, who had already been replaced by Napolitano in the first half. Girona also took the opportunity to introduce Álex Sala and Joel Roca. Napoli, fresher and fresher, had a chance to get back on the scoreboard after Zielinski’s shot was inches from the side of the net. Yes, Petagna did it in the 77th minute, putting a powerful shot into Juan Carlos’ corner. The ball hit the woodwork and went into the Girona goal to make it 2-1 on the electronic scoreboard.

The misfortune for Girona was extended just a minute later, after a controversial penalty was awarded by the referee for an alleged handball by Yan Couto. Kvaratskhelia is in charge of changing it from eleven meters. Girona could have produced a little more in the last ten minutes of the match, in a game where they suffered for most of the first half and, on the other hand, the improvements in the second punished them too much. Míchel’s men were obviously outnumbered but the difference in minutes between the players on the field took center stage.

Míchel’s team knew how to stand up to a Champions team and, despite the result, they left with good feelings and the style of play that characterizes the Vallecano coach’s team. The last two tests are on Friday against Club Bolívar and on Sunday against Zaragoza.

Data sheets

Napoli 3-1 Girona

Naples: Meret, Mario Rui, Kim, Rrahmani, Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, Anguissa, Fabián Ruiz, Politano, Lozano and Osimhen.

Girona: Juan Carlos, Valery, Santi Bueno, Juanpe, David López, Arnau, Ramón Terrats, Aleix García, Rodrigo Riquelme, Ureña and Stuani.

The objectives: 1-0, David López, pp (27′); 1-1, Taty Castellanos (60′); 2-1, Petagna (77′); 3-1, Kvaratskhelia (80′)

Referee: Juan Luca Sacchi