17 December 2023 , 12:34
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It is the Spanish fairytale story which is already winning warm comparisons with Leicester City’s Premier League title triumph.
But for Girona to claim La Liga this season ahead of Real Madrid and Barcelona would cause an even more seismic shock in European football. The Catalan club co-owned by Pep Guardiola ’s brother sit at the top of La Liga after 16 games - just like Leicester in 2015-16 - with the fourth-best record of any league leader at this stage of the competition.
And last weekend’s stunning 4–2 away win over Barcelona left them seven points clear of the Camp Nou giants - and two clear of Real Madrid - with Barca head coach Xavi claiming: “Girona can fight for the title.”
Girona coach Michel’s adventurous attacking style - they are La Liga’s top scorers 38 goals - can be likened to Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham. But the biggest parallel is with Claudio Ranieri’s side who upset the Premier League big boys in also their second season back in the top flight.
Barcelona legend Gerard Pique said: “It’s scary. They’re beginning to look like Leicester. It’s a unique project, and it’s incredible how they play, how they combine.”
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Yet a Girona title victor would be even more remarkable. A city of only 100,000 people 70 miles north of Barcelona, they were playing in Spain’s fourth tier 16 years ago and they had only faced the Catalan giants once before 2017 — the year they got promoted to La Liga for the first time.
In August 2017 Girona became part of the City Football Group - CFG took a 44.3% - and Pep Guardiola’s brother Pere the chairman and shareholder. They were relegated in 2019 but returned to the top flight in 2022 after winning the playoffs and finished 10th last season.
Girona head coach Michel Sanchez is masterminding the club's unlikely title push (Getty Images)Will Girona win the league this season? Share your predictions in the comments below
This remarkable campaign has seen only one defeat - to Jude Bellingham ’s Real Madrid in September - helped by former Premier League players. Barcelona signed Oriel Romeu in the summer but Daley Blind and Eric Garcia, who is on loan from the Camp Nou club, play in front of keeper Paulo Gazzaniga
Club captain Cristhian Stuani, who is now 37, became the oldest player to score two goals in a La Liga game in the 21st century earlier this month and has five goals in the last three. Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti declared after the Barcelona win: “Girona were better.”
And former Manchester United star Blind said: “It is history for Girona. It is a great feeling to be part of this team. It feels good.”
Ancelotti’s team can return to the top on Sunday by beating Villareal with Girona not playing Alaves till Monday. But can Girona start dreaming of the title. “No not yet,” smiled Blind. "I don’t want to put any pressure on the team. You can always dream of course - that is true. But it is still so far away. Let’s just keep our feet on the ground, play game by game, and then we see where it ends.”