Girona ready for Champions League home debut while Mbappe back for Real Madrid

MADRID, Oct. 1 — Girona make their home debut in the Champions League on Wednesday, while Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid play away matches in the group stage of the tournament.
Girona coach Michel Sanchez has almost a full squad available for the game against Dutch side Feyenoord at the Montilivi Stadium, which will have a festive atmosphere as it hosts its first-ever European match.
A late goal against Paris Saint-Germain denied the Spanish side a point in their Champions League opener two weeks ago. To keep their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages alive, Girona need to secure wins in their home fixtures.
Key departures like Artem Dovbyk, Aleix Garcia, Eric Garcia, Yan Couto, and Savinho have led to significant changes in the Girona squad following their impressive third-place finish in La Liga last season. However, a 1-1 draw away to Celta Vigo over the weekend suggests that the new lineup is beginning to find its rhythm.
In a surprise move, Kylian Mbappe has been included in Real Madrid’s squad traveling to Lille, despite expectations that the French striker would not play before the international break due to a muscle injury.
Dani Ceballos, David Alaba, and Brahim Diaz remain sidelined with injuries, and they are joined by Thibaut Courtois, who suffered an abductor injury in Sunday’s derby against Atletico Madrid. Andriy Lunin will replace Courtois as goalkeeper, having provided cover for much of last season when Courtois was recovering from a knee operation.
Much attention from the Madrid derby has centered on the misconduct of the ‘Frente Atletico’ supporters group, who threw various objects at Courtois in the second half, forcing a 15-minute stoppage in play.
Atletico Madrid could face a significant fine and a partial stadium closure due to Sunday’s incidents, and all eyes will be on their fan behavior during the upcoming away match against Benfica in Lisbon. (Xinhua)