Fran Garcia: "I don't understand why he's the one starting", "Guy is so mid" - Real Madrid fans question star's inclusion in XI for Girona clash

Real Madrid fans on X are surprised with manager Xabi Alonso’s decision to name Fran Garcia as a starter for their LaLiga clash with Girona. The two teams are set to face off at the Estadi Montilivi on Sunday, November 30.

Alonso made five changes to his starting XI that defeated Olympiacos 4-3 in the UEFA Champions League in midweek. Thibaut Courtois made his way in after sitting out the trip to Athens due to being diagnosed with a viral gastrointestinal infection.

Three changes were made in the backline as Ferland Mendy Alvaro Carreras and Raul Ascencio made their way out for Fran Garcia, Eder Militao, and Antonio Rudiger. Trent Alexander-Arnold retained his position at right-back.

Jude Bellingham is the last change, partnering with Aurelien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde in midfield. Arda Guler, Vinicius Junior, and Kylian Mbappe will spearhead the attack.

Garcia, who came through the ranks at Real Madrid, has mostly been an unused substitute this season, making six appearances for the club across competitions. The Spaniard has been deployed at left-back in place of Mendy, who made his first appearance this season for Madrid against Olympiacos.

However, the decision to include Garcia in the lineup didn’t sit well with some Los Blancos supporters, as they took to social media to question the tactical setup, with one writing:

“I don’t understand why Fran Garcia is the one starting.”

Another tweeted:

“This Fran Garcia guy is so mid meehn he shouldn’t be starting.”

A third added:

“Fran Garcia when there’s 3 better LBs on the bench.”

“Fran Garcia starting and not Mendy. Problem!” a fan chimed in.

“We need continuity” – Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso emphasizes importance of consistent positive results ahead of Girona clash

Ahead of kickoff, Real Madrid sit third in the LaLiga table and will need to secure all three points to reclaim the top spot. Speaking in the pre-match press conference, Alonso emphasized the importance of winning to maintain their top spot. He told reporters:

“We need a win to keep adding three more points if we want to stay up there. That's the goal. The team is doing well, we've got some players back and we're in better shape. We need continuity. We've had some good spells of play, but we've lacked a complete display, where we've felt that dominance, control, confidence and conviction in our play. We've been improving defensively; I'm not very happy with some things we can improve, especially the goals we've conceded in recent games. We're going to do better. We're also improving with the ball; we're still building and that's the way forward.”

A win for Real Madrid will see them open up a one-point lead at the top of the table.

Edited by Ezekiel Olamide