Girona have been rocked by a couple of injury blows ahead of the first home Champions League game in their history, but coach Michel says they will go all out to beat Feyenoord.
The Catalan side, who qualified for Europe's premier club competition for the first time by finishing third in LaLiga last season, lost 1-0 at Paris Saint-Germain on matchday one.
On the domestic front, they played out a 1-1 draw with Celta Vigo on Sunday, losing key men Oriol Romeu and Daley Blind to injury.
The former is expected to miss around eight weeks with the latter likely to be sidelined for a month, but Michel is choosing to remain upbeat ahead of Girona's historic outing.
"It's our new reality. We need to take it one game at a time," Michel told reporters ahead of Wednesday's game at the Estadi Montilivi.
"The midfield without Romeu is short-handed. But tomorrow, we need the best possible eleven to win. We have to look at it like that.
"I'm especially worried about the psychological issue. Romeu didn't play against Rayo Vallecano and got injured. The most important thing is that the head is fine. My concern is to go game by game and the team that plays will be the best possible."
After going toe-to-toe with Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona for much of the last campaign, Girona are now being tested by the best sides in Europe and Michel acknowledged it is a challenge to juggle domestic and continental duties.
Girona have had an underwhelming start to the season in LaLiga, winning two and drawing three of their eight matches to sit 12th with nine points.
"The pressure of playing LaLiga and Champions League is difficult. We want to win because making history in the Champions League is a dream for us and for our fans, those who will be on the pitch and those who will be away," Michel said.
"Hearing the Champions League anthem at home will be historic in Girona. The maturity of this squad is great. We have players with a lot of experience who know how to handle this situation.
"From my perspective as a coach, from a management point of view, it is easier to manage the change towards the Champions League.
"From the 'boom' of playing in the Champions League you need to return to the reality of the league, which is what is going to give us the possibility to continue growing."
Emery targeting regular Champions League nights as Villa prepare for Bayern clash
Unai Emery wants to make Champions League nights a regular fixture at Villa Park in the coming seasons, as Aston Villa prepare to host Bayern Munich in a repeat of the 1982 European Cup final.
Emery led Villa to a fourth-placed Premier League finish in his first full campaign at the helm last term, and they beat Young Boys 3-0 in their first match in the Champions League last month.
On Wednesday, they welcome Bayern, who they beat 1-0 to win the European Cup at De Kuip 42 years ago, to the West Midlands for their second game back among Europe's elite.
Emery is determined to ensure this European adventure is not a one-off, saying: "Hopefully we can play more times in the Champions League, but it's the first match after a long time.
"It's a new competition for us because before it was the European Cup. I want to play matches like this and I want to play consistently. In the Premier League, we are facing teams like them, favourites – Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal – that can win this competition this year.
"They are favourites with other teams like Bayern Munich."
Villa have received a boost in recent days with long-term absentees Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara, as well as full-back Matty Cash, returning to training. However, none of that trio will be available to face Bayern.
"The injured players, I know it's the worst for them. Every player wants to play in the Champions League and matches like this. We have to accept it," Emery said.
"I want the best players on the field tomorrow and I want to face their best players. I want to play with our best players, accepting that we have some players injured. We're ready to compete.
"Matty is starting to train with us but for tomorrow, he is not going to be available. Kamara and Tyrone Mings are training but also not going to play tomorrow."
Forward Ollie Watkins, who could face his England team-mate Harry Kane, was speaking alongside Emery and said excitement was building ahead of Wednesday's game.
"It's been a long time since Champions League nights at Villa Park. Everyone is excited and looking forward to it," Watkins said.
Liverpool expect Jota to face Bologna despite injury scare
Liverpool manager Arne Slot expects Diogo Jota to feature in their Champions League clash with Serie A side Bologna at Anfield, despite the Portuguese forward's absence from training on Tuesday.
Jota received a knock in the 2-1 Premier League win at Wolves on Saturday but is set to play instead of Federico Chiesa, who arrived at training on Tuesday with an injury.
The Italian winger joined Liverpool from Juventus in August and grabbed an assist in the 5-1 EFL Cup rout of West Ham but will miss out on facing familiar opponents on Wednesday.
"It's a shame for him because he was looking forward to a Champions League night at Anfield, especially because we face an Italian team," Slot told reporters of Chiesa.
"How long is he out? It's always difficult because it happened yesterday but I am not expecting him to be out for a very long period of time.
"We will see if he can be in the team for Saturday [a Premier League match at Crystal Palace]."
Liverpool are off to a strong start in Slot's first season in charge. They top the Premier League standings on 15 points, opened their Champions League campaign with a 3-1 win over Milan, and have booked their spot in the EFL Cup's last 16.
"One of the reasons we can compete is we have a lot of quality. We have a lot of cohesion in the team. Those who are not playing are happy with us scoring and winning so those are two really positive things," Slot added.
Midfielder Alexis Mac Allister had kind words for how well the Dutchman has done in filling the huge shoes left by former manager Jurgen Klopp.
"He's definitely an amazing manager. You can see how he's been from the first day," the Argentine said.
"We understand what he wants from us, and I think that's the main thing as a coach, to get the ideas in the players."
Liverpool are back in the Champions League after a one-year absence and Slot hopes to see the hunger reflected in his team on Wednesday.
"What I want from the players is them to show they missed this. I want to see this, I want to feel this," Slot said. "I am hoping it's the same from our fans. I hope they feel this desire to show Europe that you missed us."
Nashville SC v D.C. United: Lesesne hails visitors' relentlessness
Troy Lesesne believes D.C. United's ruthlessness could be what gets them over the line as they battle for an MLS Cup playoff spot, ahead of Wednesday's huge clash with Nashville SC.
D.C. sit 12th in the Eastern Conference standings with three games to play, one point and one place above Nashville and just three adrift of the final wild-card spot.
After watching his team fight back to earn a 2-2 draw against the MLS Cup holders, the Columbus Crew, last time out, Lesesne said their spirit could take them far.
"This group does not stop, that's a value we have throughout the club at the moment," Lesense said.
"I think that value of being relentless, that mindset that we're always going to keep going, that's what is going to carry us down to the wire with these three matches that are left.
"It's human nature when things are difficult to go into survival mode, or to make excuses or blame others. As a manager, you have to combat that.
"I just give our players and staff a tremendous amount of credit for not succumbing to that."
Nashville, meanwhile, found form at the right time under new boss B.J. Callaghan, taking seven points from three games before going down 1-0 to the New England Revolution on Saturday.
Callaghan remained upbeat as he looked ahead to Wednesday's match, saying: "The approach of the week is the same as usual.
"It's a good opportunity for us, we have plenty of positives that we can build on.
"D.C. have a really clear style of play, a clear way of doing things, and they're a team where we're going to have to be really sharp to get the result we want."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Nashville SC – Sam Surridge
Surridge leads all Nashville players for goals in MLS this term, netting 11 times in the competition – five more than his closest team-mate Hany Mukhtar (six). He has also scored three goals in their last two home games.
D.C. United – Christian Benteke
Benteke's two goals on Saturday took him to 21 for the season, the second-most by a D.C. United player in a single MLS campaign (after Raul Diaz Arce – 23 in 1996).
It was Benteke's eighth multi-goal game since the start of last season, only Denis Bouanga (10) has more in that time.
MATCH PREDICTION – NASHVILLE SC WIN
D.C. claimed their first-ever victory over Nashville when the sides last met on July 13, winning 2-1 on home soil.
Nashville have, however, won all three of their home games against D.C. by an aggregate score of 8-2.
D.C. were thrashed 4-0 by the Philadelphia Union in their last road game on September 22, halting a four-match unbeaten run on their travels. With Nashville taking seven points from their last four games, another defeat could await them here.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Nashville SC – 47.9%
D.C. United – 26.1%
Draw – 26%
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
