Predictions Champions League - Girona vs Feyenoord

Champions League - Girona vs Feyenoord
Match Time: 03-10-2024 00:45 Thursday (GMT+7)
Football Livescore | Match Prediction & Tips
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After stunning all of Europe by breaking the Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid top-three dominance last season, Girona are struggling to back that up this season.

On matchday one, they faced a daunting prospect, travelling to the French capital to face Paris Saint-Germain on their European debut.

Michel's side defended heroically and rode their luck at times, until Paulo Gazzaniga's howler in the final minute saw him score an own goal that handed the Parisians a 1-0 win at the Parc des Princes.

Girona's game plan was there for all to see, and they almost got over the line with a 0-0 draw, despite having just three shots across the 90 minutes, the joint-lowest of any club on their Champions League debut.

The Blanquivermells went into the PSG clash on the back of a humbling 4-1 defeat to Catalan rivals Barcelona, and they have been just as underwhelming since the trip to Paris.

Immediately after those defeats, Michel's side lost again to Valencia, handing the struggling club their first, and to date only, win of the season.

A 0-0 draw at home to Rayo Vallecano followed, before a late Iago Aspas strike cancelled out Yangel Herrera's opener against Celta Vigo on Sunday.

That leaves Girona down in 12th on just nine points, suggesting a European push may not be on the cards this time around, meaning they must make the most of the current campaign, and an expectant crowd at Montilivi would love nothing more than to see their side pick up a first win on the continent.

The hosts will be favourites too, as life after Arne Slot has not been going well for visiting Feyenoord.

New manager Brian Priske, who impressed previously at Sparta Prague, has been unable to get going since arriving at De Kuip, winning just one of their opening four games of the Eredivisie season before the Champions League campaign began.

They could not have made a worse start in the competition either, as Feyenoord were thumped 4-0 at home by German champions Bayer Leverkusen, leaving only Dinamo Zagreb, who lost 9-2 on matchday one, below them in the 36-team standings.

The Rotterdam club did respond by beating NAC Breda 2-0 following that humbling loss, but they dropped yet more points at the weekend, drawing 1-1 away to NEC Nijmegen, leaving them down in sixth, already 11 points off the summit after just seven games.

Knowing there is no chance of playing Roma, the side that have beaten them in the last three seasons in Europe, may give Feyenoord some additional belief, as the 1970 winners will have their sights set on progressing past this stage for the first time.

On six previous group stage entries, Feyenoord were eliminated each time, including last season, finishing behind Atletico Madrid and Lazio.

Woeful away form is a big factor in that, as the Dutch side have lost all of their last 10 on the road in this competition, with the last time they avoided defeat coming in a 1-0 win over Newcastle United all the way back in 2002.

Prediction:  Girona 1-1 Feyenoord