SOCCER: Girona's on-loan goalkeeper Livakovic refuses to play, says coach

Girona manager Michel said on-loan goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic has refused to play for the club because he wants to keep his options open for another move that could improve his chances of representing Croatia at next year’s World Cup.

Livakovic, who has made 71 appearances for the 2018 World Cup runners-up, joined Girona on loan from Fenerbahce in September after the Turkish side signed Ederson. The 30-year-old has played twice for Fenerbahce this season but has yet to feature for Girona, with Paulo Gazzaniga remaining Michel’s preferred choice in goal.

Under FIFA regulations, a player can be registered with three clubs in a season but can only play official matches for two of them.

“Livakovic is a spectacular person, but he has a timeline with objectives different from Girona’s,” Michel said. “He needs to play for the World Cup, not for Girona.”

“He told me this himself. He’s sincere. He said he didn’t want to be here and wanted to play for another team because if he played for Girona, he wouldn’t be able to move again.”

Reuters has reached out to Livakovic’s management agency for comment.

Michel said the Croatian international declined to play in a 2-1 loss to third-tier side Ourense in the Copa del Rey earlier this month, forcing Gazzaniga to play despite being ill.

“He was supposed to play, and he told me he wouldn’t,” Michel said.

“Gazzaniga played in Ourense with the flu and a fever of 38 degrees. Right now, I only have one goalkeeper available… until the winter transfer window, I know we have a problem.”

Girona, who finished third in the 2023–24 LaLiga season, currently sit 18th in the table with 12 points. -Aadi Nair in Nashik, India; Editing by Peter Rutherford and Thomas Derpinghaus/Reuters