Girona are La Liga’s top scorers this season having netted on 46 occasions already, but they have equally been vulnerable at the back and that has meant their games have often been entertaining. In fact, 65% of games involving Girona this term have seen over 2.5 goals scored and with exactly 50% of Sevilla’s matches also hitting that particular line, we could be in for a real festival of goals in this match.

That’s further reiterated when looking at how often both teams have scored when these sides have played. A total of 65% of Girona’s matches (13/20) have resulted in both teams finding the back of the net while 60% of Sevilla’s games (12/20) have seen the same outcome, and when you consider that the reverse fixture saw a 2-1 win for Girona, we can certainly expect something similar in this encounter.

Interestingly, this fixture last season also resulted in that very same scoreline and given the current situations in which these clubs find themselves, we could see a really open game, full of chances for both sides. Girona will be going all out for the win in order to keep pace with Real Madrid at the top of the table, while Sevilla are desperate to secure some valuable points, and this could be end-to-end.

These sides are two of the most efficient in La Liga for shots on target, as Girona have amassed 93 in their 20 games, while Sevilla have had 91 in the same amount of matches. That puts them in 5th and 6th respectively for that metric and with an expansive encounter in the offing here, we could see a few shots testing Paulo Gazzaniga and Marko Dmitrovic between the posts.

In terms of likely candidates for the home side, we need look no further than their Ukrainian talisman Artem Dovbyk. The Girona forward is currently averaging 1.31 shots on target per game having racked up an impressive 17 this season during his appearances. With the golden boot in his sights, with 11 goals in the league, he’s primed for another big game here and is backed for one on target.

With Youssef En-Nesyri away at the Africa Cup of Nations with Morocco, Lucas Ocampos is more than a suitable alternative and he’s taken to find the target for the visitors. The Sevilla man has already had 16 on target in the league at a rate of 0.93 per 90 minutes played, the most of any player in this team and he arrives here in form having had at least a shot on target in four of his last five games.

Sevilla are the most fouled team in the league this season having won an incredible 281 free kicks in just 20 games, that’s an average of 14.05 fouls drawn per game. Interestingly, that seasonal average was exceeded in the previous head-to-head game between these two sides, when Girona committed 18 fouls during their 2-1 victory back in August, and a few more could be racked up here.

Miguel Gutierrez is one of those players that could draw the attention of the referee in this game. The left back has already committed 14 fouls in his 19 appearances during this campaign and he’s likely to come up against Suso on that flank, who draws on average 1.44 fouls per game. That could spell trouble, especially as Girona like to get their full backs forward, and he could get caught.

On the opposite flank, Arnau Martinez is one that catches the eye having delved into the statistics. The Girona right back has committed 13 fouls in as many games this season but interestingly he had 5 fouls in the previous meeting and was booked as a result of his persistent offences. Notably, he really struggled up against the overlapping runs from Adria Pedrosa from the Sevilla left back position.

Sevilla are one of the most effective sides in La Liga when it comes to winning corners this season, and they are fancied to win a few in this particular game, especially as an open and fluid game is expected. In fact, the visitors have won 123 this term at a rate of 6.15 per game, and that count is second only to Barcelona, so taking them to win just four or five here makes plenty of appeal.

When looking at the recent head-to-head meetings, it’s noteworthy that Sevilla have managed to win exactly six corners in three of the last four meetings with Girona, including the reverse fixture this term where Michel’s side won the game 2-1. That’s no surprise given that the hosts have given up 94 corners in their 20 league games this season which works out at an average of 4.7 per game.

Looking through Sevilla’s recent league fixtures, they’ve won plenty of corners, and that’s a product of them trying to force games in order to get the results they need to accelerate away from danger. In fact, they’ve managed to win five in their last three consecutive matches, and that included an away game to a stubborn Atletico Madrid side.