La Liga 2023-24: Girona goes top despite stumble at winless Almeria

Almeria outplayed the surprise contender, now a point clear of Real Madrid, but could not find a way through to secure its first victory of the season.

 Aleix Garcia of Girona FC reacts after receiving a red card during the LaLiga EA Sports match between UD Almeria and Girona FC at Juegos Mediterraneos on January 14, 2024 in Almeria, Spain.  | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Girona moved top of La Liga despite stumbling to a 0-0 draw at bottom-of-the-table Almeria on Sunday.

Almeria outplayed the surprise contender, now a point clear of Real Madrid, but could not find a way through to secure its first victory of the season.

Girona playmaker Aleix Garcia was sent off with 10 minutes to go for pulling down Gonzalo Melero as he ran through on goal.

Madrid faces Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia later Sunday, with its match against Getafe postponed until February 1.

“We knew it would not be easy at the start,” Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga told  Movistar.

“Playing the last minutes with one less player, I think it was a positive point.”

Almeria’s coach said his team were far stronger defensively now than when he took over in October, with his first match at the helm a crushing 5-2 defeat at Girona.

It proved the case, with the formerly free-scoring Catalans shackled well as Almeria picked up a third goalless draw in their last six league games.

Almeria had the better of the few chances there were, with Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga doing well to deny Sergio Arribas before half-time.

The former Real Madrid winger had another chance early in the second period but fired narrowly off target, while Gazzaniga denied Leo Baptistao and Adri Embarba.

Arribas, named player of the match, was electric but wasteful in front of goal.

Girona coach Michel Sanchez withdrew its top goalscorer Artem Dovbyk, who barely had a sniff, sending on Uruguayan veteran Cristhian Stuani in his place.

To make a tough afternoon worse for Girona, Garcia was sent off with 10 minutes to go for grabbing Melero’s shirt to hold him back as he ran in on goal.

The midfielder, key in Michel’s plans, had not missed a single minute of the season until now.

Almeria brought on striker Luis Suarez, missing injured since October, as it pushed Girona back in search of a winner.

It could not find it and sits 10 points from safety, next facing giant Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

No team has failed to win a game in a La Liga season, and this was another performance to give Almeria hope they will avoid that fate.

“We were superior to a Girona that is fighting for the title,” Arribas told Movistar.

“We have to keep working ... we’ll keep on believing until the end until it’s not mathematically possible (to survive).”