Girona's engine seizes up after 1,844 minutes without rest

GironaUpon arriving in Girona, Àlex Moreno made a brief stop in Llagostera. He visited the football pitch, where he strolled leisurely for nearly fifteen minutes, reminiscing about a short but particularly intense period in his football career. Moreno played for Llagostera during the 2012-13 season in Segunda B (the third tier of Spanish football). More than a decade later, last summer he returned to Catalonia to sign for Míchel Sánchez's team, where he has played every minute so far, as there is no one to replace him. However, the player has suffered a serious injury and will be sidelined for approximately six weeks due to a calf strain, as reported by [the club/unclear]. Cadena SerThis is the second unexpected setback in just a few days, following Ter Stegen's injury, which will require surgery this Friday. It seems like witchcraft.

The defender, born in Vilafranca del Penedès, is the only left-back in the Atlético Madrid squad, creating a puzzle for Míchel, who will have no choice but to play Blind in his place. However, at Llagostera, Moreno didn't play as a full-back: he played as a left winger or as a right winger on his weaker foot. He was 19 years old then, and his performance attracted so much attention that he was quickly signed. That Llagostera team, conceived by Oriol Alsina and featuring players like Óscar Álvarez, Pitu Comadevall, Àlex Granell, and Àlex Moreno himself, finished mid-table and reached the round of 32 in the Copa del Rey, where they were eliminated after a historic tie against Valencia. The town felt too small, and the trip to Mestalla was unforgettable. The following year, Llagostera achieved something truly remarkable by getting promoted to the Second Division.

Alsina acknowledged that "it was already clear in Llagostera that Àlex Moreno was a top-level footballer." His career path speaks for itself: Mallorca, Rayo Vallecano, Elche, Betis, Aston Villa, and Nottingham Forest before landing at Montilivi, where, along with Arnau Martínez, Joel Roca, and David López, he is one of the four Catalans on the squad. Three are defenders.

It was Míchel, with whom he played at Vallecas, who insisted on signing a player who started competing in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia and who, despite being from the Penedès region, has never dared to build sandcastles. "I only did a few silly things as a kid around the house. I've witnessed them firsthand, but from the sidelines," he said a few months ago, also mentioning that he learned to dance Sevillanas in Seville. Regarding the Madrid-born coach, he doesn't hide the impact of his presence, something most of the players Míchel coaches agree on. "Together, we got Rayo Vallecano promoted to La Liga. I've always seen him as very approachable. Whether it's good or bad, he tells you straight to your face. He doesn't lie to the players, and that builds trust," he explained.

More minutes than in recent years

Currently, Míchel has given him every minute, because Moreno has no competition in his position. He debuted in the second half of matchday 2, with the dressing room devastated and humiliated in Villarreal (5-0). Since then, he has played the full 90 minutes in every match, never having been substituted in any of the following twenty weekends, but his body has finally given out. Logically, he is the player with the most appearances in La Liga (1,844 minutes) and has only rested in the Copa del Rey, where Girona called up their reserve team, the Senegalese Papa Dame Ba. After winning extra time in Inca against a Tercera RFEF side, they were eliminated in Ourense against a Primera RFEF team. In fact, Moreno has accumulated more minutes in half a season than in the previous two entire years. Last season, at Nottingham, he played 19 matches and 1,312 minutes; Two years ago, at Aston Villa, he played 29 games for a total of 1,559 minutes. He has contributed to Girona's collective improvement, with three decisive assists in the last two months, in the victories against Real Sociedad and Osasuna and in the draw with Getafe. The only thing missing is a goal, something he hasn't done since February 2024.

Now he will miss several matches, starting with Girona's visit to Sevilla's Sánchez-Pizjuán this Saturday (6:30 p.m., DAZN). Since the sporting management preferred not to have two players in that position, Míchel has a new problem. And there are quite a few.