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Once again, we are facing a Saturday night at the Santiago Bernabéu, where the fate of the title will be decided. All 85,000 tickets have been sold out and this game has the potential to make history. The top two teams, with a combined total of 100 goals, are well ahead of the rest. The home team is undefeated and has the most points in Europe, while the away team holds the league leadership and has not lost a game. The top goal scorers will compete for the Pichichi award, representing Spain against the team supported by the exiled Catalan president. In the heart of the capital, a massive banner has been raised, declaring their intention to win. It’s a highly anticipated match, but it’s not a traditional “clásico.”
This is not a match between Real Madrid and Barcelona; it is a match between Real Madrid and Girona. Girona has surprisingly advanced this far; if they win on Saturday, Míchel Sánchez’s team may start to believe that they can go all the way. They have defeated Barcelona and Atlético Madrid; defeating Madrid would solidify their chances. The club, which has never won a title and has never competed in Europe, only reached the first division in 2017, got relegated, and is currently in their fourth top-flight season. Despite having a budget that is 14 times smaller than Madrid’s, they could potentially win the league.
Míchel expressed his desire to make history by the end of the season. He also mentioned that it would be a special achievement to leave the Bernabéu at the top, as it would keep Girona in the minds of everyone. However, he believes that his team is not a top contender for the league title. With 14 games remaining, Míchel expects Real Madrid and Barcelona to win many matches. He acknowledged that every game is challenging for his team and to win the league, a minimum of 85-90 points is necessary, while Girona currently has 56. He pointed out that both Madrid and Barcelona have the potential to reach that point total, as Atlético Madrid has done in the past. Míchel also expressed that it is unfair for anyone to demand that Girona wins the league.
Despite the lack of demand, there would be disappointment if they were to drop in rankings, which speaks to their achievements. Each week, the seemingly impossible becomes more feasible for Girona. They were not expected to be among the top teams, yet they have tenaciously held onto their position. As they head to the Bernabéu, they have spent a total of nine weeks at the top and have moved into first place four times. If they win, they will extend their lead to five points and have held the top spot for a total of 10 weeks. It’s no surprise that comparisons to Leicester have been made more frequently.
Can Girona achieve the same feat as Leicester? Based on their current performance, it seems possible. In fact, they have accumulated 56 points in 23 games and have only suffered one loss, surpassing Claudio Ranieri’s team, who ended their 2015-2016 season with 81 points and three losses.
According to Míchel, the main issue is most likely the other teams. In 2016, Arsenal placed second with a total of 71 points, despite being defeated seven times. Tottenham Hotspur came in third with 70 points. Real Madrid currently has 58 points and still has 45 points up for grabs.
On Friday, Carlo Ancelotti stated that the winner of tomorrow’s match will hold an advantage, but this season is a lengthy one. He acknowledged that Girona is approaching the game with high hopes and motivation, and they have the potential to take the lead in the league. However, Ancelotti emphasized that tomorrow’s match does not determine the outcome of the entire league, as the ultimate winner will be determined later on.
No matter the outcome, this has been an exceptional season, evidenced by the bold claim that this is the deciding match for the title. Recently, a massive banner was displayed in downtown Madrid, reminiscent of Barcelona president Joan Laporta’s political campaign. Sponsored by a Girona HR firm, it features their players celebrating with the message: “Experience isn’t everything.”
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The stadium of Girona, situated in a city that is not known for its football enthusiasm and is located 99km away from Barcelona, is the smallest among all teams in the first division, with a capacity of 13,942. Despite having one Catalan Super Cup and titles in lower divisions, Girona has not won any major trophies. Their squad also lacks depth, with Daley Blind being responsible for more than half of the players. The players’ CVs reveal a total of 37 relegations among them.
The news of Brazilian forward Sávio, who is currently on loan from Troyes, joining Manchester City highlighted a flaw in the story. This is because both Troyes and Girona are owned by the City Football Group. A significant portion (47%) of Girona is owned by City, while Pep Guardiola’s brother Pere owns 16%. “They have the financial means to pay for a spot in Madrid for their banner, which must not come cheap,” Ancelotti commented.
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However, this factor alone is not sufficient to fully understand or downplay Girona’s achievements on the field: out of their entire squad, only two players are owned by the City Group; their salary cap is significantly lower at €51m (£43.5m) compared to Madrid’s €727m; and their most expensive player to date is Artem Dovbyk, acquired for €7m for 50% of his registration. Dovbyk currently shares the top scorer position in La Liga with Jude Bellingham, who was purchased for €103m.
This is a team of players and a coach who were not expected to perform well. They did not rely on traditional defensive tactics or dirty play. They have scored four goals against Atlético and Barcelona and have the highest number of goals in the league. They have had multiple high-scoring games, with fourteen players scoring goals. Sávio leads in completed dribbles and assists, while Aleix García has completed the most passes. Their only loss was against Madrid, but they still had a high number of shots on goal.
On that particular evening, Girona surrendered their position at the top of the rankings, which they had acquired for the very first time. It was assumed that this would be the end of their reign. “We are not on the same level as Madrid,” said Míchel, but now they have the opportunity to reclaim their spot. “We find ourselves in an unexpected battle,” acknowledged Delfí Geli, the club’s president. The league title hangs in the balance on Saturday night at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Source: theguardian.com
