Winners against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday afternoon, the Catalans are well established at the top of La Liga after 11 days. A crazy success for a club which was fighting in the depths of the second division two years ago.
This year, the autumn hit in European football has a strong Catalan accent. After several weeks of competition, it is a small club from the North of Spain, Girona, which has the best record of the five major championships, and which is at the top of La Liga. Solid and stunning winners of Rayo Vallecano after conceding the opener (2-1), Saturday November 11, the Blanquivermells, who were still playing in the second division two years ago, consolidated their leadership position before the international break . Above all, after 13 days, or a third of the championship, they continue to impress.
There is no shortage of statistics to illustrate the Catalan club’s stellar start. Michel’s men have the best record in the league this season, with 11 victories in 13 matches, for only one defeat. They are also the best attack of the 20 clubs involved (31 goals), and the second of the five major European championships (behind the 39 goals of Bayern Munich in Germany).
A daydream
“What’s happening is not normal. It’s a dream time, we’re all hallucinating”, marveled Quique Carcel, the club’s sporting director, before the day’s match. In the leadership chair, the Gironese are ahead of the biggest clubs in Spain, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Atletico. “Today, I think we scored more goals than Manchester City, which may seem completely unreal. And we are aware of that.” The comparison is not trivial, since Girona was bought in the summer of 2017 by the City Football Group, of which the Cityzens are the huge headliners.
The golden period that the Catalans are experiencing today is all the more beautiful as Girona has come a long way. Two years ago, the club was stuck in the last positions of the second division championship and was fighting to stay. Returning to the highest level in the summer of 2022, Girona held on to continue in continuity and had a very good 2022-2023 financial year, concluded in 10th place with an overall balanced record (13 wins, 10 draws). , 15 defeats). Today, the epic is conquering this entire city of 100,000 inhabitants. “The atmosphere around the stadium before each match shows that something unique is happening in the history of the club”recognized Daley Blind, who arrived this summer in Catalonia, in an interview with So Foot.
Since its return to the first division, the club has gradually built a solid team, notably by drawing from the City Football Group. This summer, he recruited the Paraguayan Yangel Herrera (four goals) from Manchester and loaned him the Brazilian from Troyes Savio (four goals, four assists). Beyond Dutch international Daley Blind, few headliners, but former hopefuls (Aleix Garcia, Artem Dovbyk) and experienced veterans (Cristhian Stuani).
“The best football in La Liga”
In the game, change has also taken place. Michel, namesake of the man who spent a year on the OM bench, is experiencing his third season on the Catalan bench. He had time to refine his principles and teach them to his players, who offer attacking, direct and attractive football. This is evidenced by the 2.4 goals per match scored since the start of the season in the league, like the very latest, that of the victory against Rayo, scored at the end of a well-constructed action, with five players in the surface. “It’s the team that plays the best football in La Liga”appreciated Villarreal midfielder Ramon Terrats at the end of September after his team’s defeat against the leader.
Maintaining, the objective of the start of the season, already on the right track, Girona is now looking further and is now clearly displaying its European ambitions. Last season, the Blanquivermells finished four points behind Osasuna, the Europa League Conference play-off. “Now we have to try to fight to stay between sixth and fourth place […] It’s not going to be easy but we’re going to fight.”assured Quique Carcel. With 11 victories in the first 13 matches, they join Real, Barça and Atletico Madrid in the very exclusive club of teams to have achieved this performance. This has happened 16 times in history, and 11 times the team that achieved it finished as champion of Spain. What is there to dream of the first podium in its history in La Liga?