Girona’s Michel Sanchez responds to Barcelona links with Aleix Garcia – ‘I get the feeling he won’t leave’

Girona manager Michel Sanchez has done an excellent job of turning his side into one of the most formidable in La Liga, but as the stakes are raised, he is having to contend with fresh problems, including heavy transfer speculation surrounding his best players. Artem Dovbyk has been linked to Chelsea of late, but Barcelona’s interest in Aleix Garcia is perhaps the most distracting.

Barcelona reportedly feel they can sign Garcia for much less than the originally quoted €20m figure, which in theory would rule out a January move. Garcia himself has been much more coy on the matter, having admitted a desire to play for Barcelona.

Speaking to Diario AS ahead of their clash with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, Michel did not seem to think the Blaugrana would be successful in their efforts.

“I get the feeling that Aleix is ​​not going to leave, but it would hurt me regardless of which team he goes to because we would lose him. We are not at the level of Barca. We want to continue growing as a club and to do so we need players of Aleix’s level. It would hurt me because we lose potential, but I have the feeling that he will continue.”

Girona have also terminated the contract of veteran central defender Bernardo Espinosa, so that he can join Atletico Nacional in his native Colombia. With David Lopez injured, Michel still felt he had sufficient resources in the middle of his defence.

“We have Juanpe, Blind, Eric Garcia, Arnau… I don’t have the feeling that we are short of pieces. It is true that the loss of Bernardo is important in every aspect, but within the team we can make up for this loss,” he noted, explaining the club had not stood in Bernardo’s way.

“It will be a great game,” he said of Atletico Madrid, “and I expect the best