Girona manager Michel Sanchez has once again admitted that they would be happy to have Oriol Romeu back from Barcelona, a year after the veteran midfielder moved to the Catalan capital. Sporting Director Quique Carcel has also made it clear they would welcome Romeu back north to Montilivi.
Michel gave a lengthy interview, explaining that he was focused on trying to get the Catalan minnows into the Champions League. Girona still have a nine-point advantage over Athletic Club with 11 games to go, but have lost their last three away games in a row. Michel says his job is to improve the players, and a big part of that is their mental state, and ensuring they are free to create themselves.
“When the team is academic and plays with my idea we are worse, but when they free themselves to their way of playing, they are very good. It was what was missing in Mallorca, I didn’t see those connections and I will never win a game from the bench, because things always escape you, everything will depend on them. I don’t want them to be in a chess match, I want them to flow and that happens because they are able to let go”
He also admitted that he was not sure that whether he would be good at managing at the very top, highlighting the fact he has not coached while playing three games a week, nor has he dealt with the pressure that Xavi Hernandez has. Nevertheless, he would be delighted to do so at Barcelona or Real Madrid.
“My number one goal is to continue in Girona, but I hope I can be among the candidates to coach two of the best teams in the world, that would say a lot about my work and would also be good for the club,” he explained to SER Catalunya, as carried by MD.
Asked what one Barcelona player he would take for Girona, he certainly picked one of the more accessible options.
“If I could take one… It would be Oriol Romeu because I know he is a good person and a top player. I don’t know what’s happening to him because I’m not there,” referencing the fact Romeu has largely been confined to the bench since September.
Michel also picked out his best players in each position.
“The best goalkeeper in the world, according to my idea of the game, would be Ter Stegen. In defense I would stick with Van Dijk, with De Bruyne in the midfield and Mbappé in attack, because I think he is the player who, individually, can solve the most situations with skill and decide a match.”
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