Michel demands aggression as he targets ´historic moment´ against Liverpool

Michel has urged Girona to be more aggressive and outwork Liverpool when the two teams meet in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Girona, who finished third in LaLiga last season, are on a four-game winless streak across all competitions, and currently sit 30th in the Champions League table, three points off a play-off place after five games.

They have won just once in Europe so far, as opposed to Tuesday’s in-form opponents Liverpool, who have a perfect record in the competition and currently sit top of the standings.

Girona have never faced an English side before, but Spanish teams are winless in their last seven games against such opponents in the Champions League (D3 L4), since Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Chelsea in April 2023.

“We want to see an aggressive Girona with and without the ball,” Michel told reporters. “They dominate the game. I prefer to have the mentality of winning the ball back as quickly as possible. We have to look forward with and without the ball.

“It’s possible that at times we’ll be defending spaces, but the mentality has to be very aggressive. The crowd has to be screaming for a historic moment, for the fans to lead us to an incredible day and for the players not to get tired of running.”

Liverpool are the only team with a 100% record in the Champions League this season, winning all five of their games so far. In fact, the Reds have won each of their last 10 games in the group/league phase of the competition, scoring 28 goals and only conceding three.

Una ciutat preparada per a una tarda màgica! #GIRLIV #UCL pic.twitter.com/o5SpIm8nsD

— Girona FC (@GironaFC) December 9, 2024

Michel said he was fully aware of the scale of the task facing Girona.

“They dominate all the concepts of the game. Their game is very dynamic, they change structure at any moment, and they have players with top intensity and pressure,” he added.

“If you get behind them, they are capable of winning duels… If they are in a low block, they are capable of defending the area because they are strong in the air.

“We will have to run more than ever. But it can be done, of course. They dominate everything and that’s why we have to think about ourselves, be ourselves and give the best version of ourselves.”

Michel, who played for Rayo Vallecano, came close to facing Liverpool when the two teams both qualified for the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in 2001.

The 49-year-old said it had always been his dream to face the Anfield outfit, adding: “It means a lot to me.

“At Rayo I always sang ‘next year Rayo-Liverpool’ and it was a dream. After qualifying for the Champions League, they were an opponent I wanted. Playing at Anfield or here is the same. It’s a dream for everyone.”