For the Mexican strategist, Girona is the revelation of the championship because they have linked four consecutive victories and play good football.
Javier Aguirre, Mexican coach of Mallorca, was full of praise for Girona FC, third in the Spanish league table, who will play against the reds at the Montilivi stadium on Saturday.
"Girona is the revelation. It is not easy to win four consecutive matches and, in addition, they play good football. They create many goal-scoring opportunities and that is not normal if you are not Barcelona or Real Madrid. It is a well-managed team with good players and a very good dynamic. We are going to try to counteract all of that," Aguirre emphasized at a press conference on Friday.
The "Vasco" recalled the two matches against the Girona team last season.
"We couldn't beat them and they were already doing good things. We drew (1-1) here and lost (2-1) there. This time we are going to Girona with a different attitude. I have noticed a very different atmosphere after the victory in Balaídos (0-1). It is always better to work after a triumph, no matter how it is achieved. We can always play better and I am the first to admit it, but I must admit that the team is a little calmer. We are gradually climbing up after being in a dangerous position," he added.
Mallorca took five matchdays to earn their first three points, in an irregular start to the season. When asked what the team was missing compared to last season, Aguirre replied, "Having more possession of the ball."
"It seems like the ball burns us. We were nervous after the first four matches, but the victory (in Vigo) relieved the pressure. We couldn't string together three passes even though we could do it. It's not that (Sergi) Darder, Samu (Costa), Dani (Rodríguez), or the center-backs don't know how to play. They all have good technique, but we get rid of the ball too quickly. I give it to you because I'm afraid of getting robbed, or I kick it up and make a mistake."
The Mallorca coach insisted on his desire for his players to "handle both aspects: defending well and having the ball."
"We shouldn't only look for counterattacks and set pieces. The team has quality to have long possessions. Against Girona at home (last season), we made thirty-two passes without the opponent touching the ball. It's a matter of mindset because they have the ability. We are working on it," he explained.
Regarding the matches in three days against Girona and FC Barcelona and the fact of playing at Montilivi at two in the afternoon, Aguirre said, "Looking at it from the positive side, it's not bad."
"We will return at midnight (from Girona) and train the next day. Looking at it from the positive side, it's not bad, and if you do well on top of that, you face the next match with more calmness. The book says that you have to rotate the team, although there are players who can resist playing the full 90 minutes in that space of three days, they are professionals," explained Javier Aguirre.