Two sides with an outside chance of Europe meet at the Estadio Municipal de Montilivi on Thursday, when Girona face Mallorca in La Liga.

Should seventh place open up as a route into the Europa Conference League, both sides will still fancy their chances.

Match preview

Girona have strengthened their push for European football following a sensational week for both the club and their attacker Taty Castellanos.

A momentous victory over Real Madrid saw Castellanos become the first player to score four goals against Los Blancos in a La Liga match in the 21st century.

The Argentine added to that by finding the net at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan on Monday in an eye-catching 2-0 win at Sevilla, who have recently returned to form.

Girona now find themselves just three points off seventh, an unlikely feat for a side who were promoted via the LaLiga2 playoffs last season after a sixth-place finish.

Claiming scalps off the big boys in La Liga has been little problem for Michel's side as they also held Barcelona to a draw a few weeks ago.

However, recent defeats to relegation-threatened Cadiz, Real Valladolid and Getafe show that their issue is evidently finding the answers when they are the favourites.

Girona often do when playing at home though, having won five of their last six matches on home soil.

Maintaining their attacking potency will be key too, as they have scored the most goals in the league outside the top three.

Mallorca can still make a late-season charge for Europe, but their away form must improve drastically if they are to have any chance.

Javier Aguirre's men have lost nine of their last 11 games on the road, something that has stopped them from seriously challenging the top seven.

They are only three points behind their upcoming opponents, but find themselves in the bottom half.

The sheer number of sides above them also fighting for the same goal makes it unlikely though, as both sides also must hope Osasuna lose the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid so they do not take a European place.

Dropping two points in the 96th minute against Athletic Bilbao on Monday also did not help, as holding on would have moved them to within three points of the top seven.

Team News

All eyes will be on Girona's Castellanos after netting six goals in his last three games, and he should start as a lone frontman again.

Arnau Martinez will return from suspension after he sat out the trip to Sevilla.

Cristhian Stuani is close to a return from injury but is unlikely to shift Castellanos out of the starting XI.

Yangel Herrera is also not far from recovering after a three-month layoff, but midfielders Borja Garcia, Aleix Garcia and Toni Villa are out.

A late red card to Antonio Raillo means the Mallorca man will be suspended for this one.

Fellow defender Pablo Maffeo will also serve a ban after his booking against Bilbao was his fifth of the season.

After a brief goalscoring return against Atletico Madrid, Matija Nastasic is out injured once again, as defensive issues mount for Aguirre.

Girona possible starting lineup:
Gazzaniga; Couto, Bueno, Juanpe, Hernandez, Gutierrez; Tsygankov, Martin, Oriol Romeu, Riquelme; Castellanos

Mallorca possible starting lineup:
Rajkovic; Augustinsson, Gaya, Valjent, Copete, Jaume Costa; Morlanes, Ruiz de Galarreta, Lee Kang-in; Muriqi, Ndiaye

We say: Girona 1-0 Mallorca

Girona are very strong at home and Mallorca have been poor on the road, so the hosts look likeliest to keep their own respective European push going.

It has never been a fixture blessed with many goals, as the last 11 meetings have all seen two goals or fewer.


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