Morante unable to break through Quique Álvarez's barrier

Morante, signed on a free transfer from Burgos, has been benched in Girona's last two matches as Izan González and Fran Beltrán dominate midfield.

Iván Morante, the 25-year-old midfielder who joined Girona on a free transfer from Burgos this summer, is struggling to break into the team under manager Quique Álvarez. Despite performing well whenever called upon and accumulating 356 minutes so far this season, Morante has been left out of Girona's last two matches against Tenerife and Andorra. The competition in midfield from Izan González and Fran Beltrán, combined with Álvarez's preference for more defensive-minded players, has limited the playmaker's opportunities. At Burgos last season, Morante was a regular starter, appearing in 41 league matches.