Michel: Livakovic Refuses to Play for Girona, Eyes World Cup Spot

Livakovic refuses to play for Girona, eyes World Cup spot

Girona manager reveals on-loan goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic refused to play, seeking World Cup spot.

“He told me this himself, he is a sincere person. He told me he didn't want to be here...”

Girona's manager, Michel, revealed that their on-loan goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic refused to play for the club. Livakovic wants to keep his options open for a move that'll boost his chances of playing for Croatia at the World Cup next year.

Livakovic, who's made 71 appearances for Croatia, joined Girona on loan from Fenerbahce in September after Ederson arrived at the Turkish side. He's clearly weighing his options, and Girona's loss might be another club's gain.

The 30-year-old has played twice for Fenerbahce this season but hasn't featured for Girona yet, with Paulo Gazzaniga being Michel's preferred goalkeeper. Under FIFA rules, a player can register with three clubs in a season but can only play for two.

Dominik Livaković hasn’t played for Girona since joining on deadline day. Having played twice for Fenerbahçe, he can’t play for another club in January if he plays for Girona.

The result? Paul Gazzaniga played the Copa del Rey game with a 38 degree fever. pic.twitter.com/XGjQILv9NS

— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) December 11, 2025

Girona's coach, Michel, says Livakovic is a top player, but his priorities don't align with the club's. “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 is a sincere person. He told me he didn't want to be here, that he wanted to play ⁠for another team because if he played with Girona, he wouldn't be able to play for another team.”

Girona's manager, Michel, says Livakovic refused to play in a Copa del Rey match against Ourense, so Gazzaniga had to play despite being ill. This was a 2-1 defeat for Girona, and Michel's not happy about the situation.

“He was supposed to play, and he told me he wouldn't,” the Spanish manager added.

“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's currently 18th in the standings with 12 points. They finished third in LaLiga last season, so their current form is a bit of a dip.