"Sometimes they piss me off": Míchel explodes over Girona's goalkeeping situation

GironaIt will soon be a year since Pau López, frustrated by his lack of playing time, left Girona. The Girona goalkeeper's case was unusual, as he left twice in 23 days. It seemed difficult to overcome that situation, but Girona has managed to do so with their goalkeeping management this year: Dominik Livakovic, who is also fed up with not getting opportunities, will leave the club when the winter transfer window opens in early January.

Paulo Gazzaniga will have outlasted them both. A key player for Míchel, he made his debut as a starter one afternoon in October 2022 and hasn't moved since. The Vallecas-born coach requested him after the promotion to La Liga that summer, because he had shown confidence in him during their time together at Rayo Vallecano. But the season began with Juan Carlos, one of the heroes of the climb to the top flight. Until a series of errors relegated him to the bench. This kind of change is common: it happens in La Liga and it happens at Quarta Catalana.

Although no longer at Montilivi, which has seen Gazzaniga consolidate his position between the posts for Girona, the Argentine has delivered memorable performances and amply demonstrated his commitment to the project. This is no small detail, because these days, commitment is precisely what Girona lacks. But lately, he has made glaring errors, such as on Sunday in Elche, where he let in two goals. The poor form, particularly of the defense and the team as a whole, doesn't help matters, and Girona is the team that has conceded the most goals in La Liga. But Míchel is helping him, trying to handle a very delicate situation with a delicate touch, because Gazzaniga is one of the dressing room's heavyweights.

The fans, with less patience than ever due to the team's poor run of results—they've been in the relegation zone for fourteen matchdays and face Real Sociedad away this Friday (9 pm, DAZN)—are clamoring for a change in goal, but the manager remains firm in his convictions: There's no chance of Livakovic playing, a luxury backup who arrived on loan in the summer and hasn't even played in the Copa del Rey. And he won't play because if he does, he won't be able to leave in the winter, which is his intention, to get consistent playing time for the next World Cup, where he's the starting goalkeeper for Croatia. Míchel has no choice.

Girona will make signings in the winter

A UEFA rule states that a player cannot play for three different teams in the same season, and Livakovic had already played minutes for Fenerbahce before arriving at Montilivi. In this case, two plus two equals four. The situation is extremely serious, considering that Girona's other goalkeepers, Krapyvtsov and Juan Carlos, are in the infirmary. In other words, if something happens to Gazzaniga, they'll have to look further down the pecking order. In fact, Andreev, who isn't even a starter for the reserve team, has already been called up for the last few matches.

When asked about the situation, Míchel said: "I don't like to talk about private matters, but sometimes they get on my nerves. Livakovic has refused to play. He needs to play for the World Cup, not for Girona. In September he told me he wouldn't play, and I can't say anything about it. And on the third day, he told me he wants to leave Girona."

The ticking time bomb began to loom when Livakovic's agent, Andy Bara, ignited the atmosphere that suggested he was guaranteed a starting position. "It was Girona who called him, they did everything to sign him, he turned down a big salary, and now they have him on the bench. The goalkeeper [Gazzaniga] concedes four goals and the coach won't substitute him." Sporting director Quique Cárcel denied this: "I've never promised anything to any player, it's not true."

Cárcel will have to sign a goalkeeper (among other needs) in the winter transfer window. Livakovic will leave without having played a single second for Girona. Like Pau López, with the difference that the current Betis goalkeeper played one league match, one cup match, and one Champions League match. He lost all three.