Girona go into Girona Vs RCD Mallorca with a small but important opening in the squad. Quique Álvarez said Bryan Gil and Fran Beltrán are close to full fitness, have trained with the rest of the group and could be available for one of Segunda División's most important matches.
That matters now because the coach framed the game as a direct measure of where Girona stand. He said Kourouma, Vanat and Pyshchur could also enter the squad among the internationals, while insisting the visit from Mallorca is one of the hardest checks the team can face at this level.
Álvarez did not dress that up. He described Mallorca as a side with a squad strong enough to be at the top of the division, a team that moved into its current level more quickly and has already made its identity visible. In his view, Mallorca plays in the way its coach wants, defends with discipline and scores with efficiency, which is why he called the meeting a true test of Girona's present level.
That is also where the edge in the story lies. Girona have had a good week and are improving, but Álvarez said the team still concedes too much and that, eventually, a side cannot keep winning if it gives away that many chances. He said the opponents are different in this division, but Mallorca do not need much to score because of their direct football, a detail that makes the margin for error thinner than Girona would like.
The coach tried to balance that warning with a more optimistic reading of the group. He said the dressing room has worked well, the team is in the process of improving and he is pleased with the week they have put together. He also spoke about van de Beek, saying the issue is not quality but condition and confidence, and about Mumin, who has not competed for a long time and is still getting himself fit in a new place.
That leaves Girona with a decision that could matter as much as the opponent. Álvarez said some players now in the side may lose their place if internationals or injured players return, and that some reserve-team players could be left out if the squad fills out again. For a match this strong in Segunda División, the final list remains the unanswered piece, but the direction is clear: Girona want this game to show how far they have come, and Mallorca will make the answer obvious fast.
