Girona’s manager Michel commended goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga for his remarkable performance that helped secure a 2-1 victory against Athletic Bilbao in LaLiga on Sunday. Gazzaniga made two crucial penalty saves, one of which was retaken, before Cristhian Stuani netted the match-winning goal from the spot in the 99th minute.
Despite Girona’s improved performance in the second half, which halted a four-match winless streak, Michel acknowledged that there is still significant room for improvement. “Thank God for Gazzaniga… I’m happy with the three points, but we need to do better. I liked the second half as we made Athletic back off,” Michel stated.
Bilbao struggled to capitalize on their chances, as Alex Berenguer’s penalty was saved in the first half, and Inaki Williams’ retaken penalty was also denied by Gazzaniga after the goalkeeper had stepped off the line. Ander Herrera, tasked with the retake, was similarly thwarted, much to Michel’s disbelief. “I didn’t expect Herrera to miss again, but Gazzaniga made three incredible saves that kept us in the game,” he said.
Girona, who secured their first-ever Champions League qualification last season by finishing third in LaLiga, now sits mid-table with 12 points from nine matches. “It hasn’t been a bad start, but when you consider the expectations, it feels like we’re lacking something,” Michel remarked.