There are fast starts, and there are season-defining starts.
As time goes on, and as Girona keep winning, it is becoming harder to tell which of them this is.
Even just 12 games into 2023-24, this is the first time in 20 years that a club other than Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have topped the Spanish table at this stage of a season. Girona are also just the fifth team in La Liga’s 94-year history to win 10 of their opening 12 matches — alongside the ‘big three’, and Real Betis, who did it way back in 1934.
In the early stages of the 2023-24 season, Girona FC has emerged as the unexpected leader of La Liga, challenging the dominance of traditional giants Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid.
What makes Girona’s ascent even more astonishing is their journey from the fourth tier of Spanish football just seventeen years ago, alongside hundreds of regional teams. Now in their fourth-ever season in La Liga, the club is not only defying the odds but doing so convincingly, winning matches in a manner befitting any league leader.
Led by manager Michel, whose career has seen its share of ups and downs, and featuring players like Aleix Garcia, who has transformed from struggling for minutes in Romania to a standout La Liga midfielder, Girona embodies a team of resilient individuals with a burning desire to prove themselves at the highest level.
While the City Football Group’s involvement with Girona has facilitated loan signings and added value, the team’s success cannot be solely attributed to flashy transfers. Instead, the club’s identity, coupled with astute recruitment and meticulous management, has propelled them to new heights.
Otherwise, Girona’s transfer dealings have not been flashy, with a net spend of just under €3million (£2m; $3.2m) since CFG acquired its stake in the club six years ago. Every signing has fit the profile of a Girona (and indeed a Manchester City player): unerringly confident with the ball and able to adapt to an array of different positions across the pitch.
Michel’s tactical approach emphasizes confidence, creating overloads, and controlling the game by committing multiple players across the opposition’s defensive line. Girona’s possession-based style starts from the back, with a goalkeeper and defenders comfortable playing the ball, exemplified by Daley Blind’s crucial role in both defense and attack.
Since their promotion to La Liga last season, only four teams have completed more passes than Girona, while only Barcelona, Madrid and Atletico have made more in their own half.
Michel demands personality on the ball. When his side were 1-0 up and under pressure from Sevilla in August, he called on them to play “street football” in order to tempt their opponents out of their defensive structure. “Keep the ball for longer,” he says in the video clip below. “Two touches minimum… feint one way, then go the other.”
p u r o f ú t b o l. 😍
— LALIGA (@LaLiga) August 26, 2023
🎙️ @Michel8Sanchez
❤️ @GironaFC 🤍 #SevillaFCGirona | #LALIGAEASPORTS #BehindLALIGA pic.twitter.com/u7C1u2SNXa
As with most successful sides in today’s footballing landscape, Michel’s system relies on confidence and creating overloads, wrestling control of the game before committing up to six players across the opposition’s defensive line.
Notably, Girona’s attacking prowess and commitment to their playing style have made them La Liga’s top scorers this season. Their ability to recover from losing positions showcases their resilience and determination.
The team’s versatility is evident in their varied tools for success, from the electrifying Savio’s individual brilliance to Aleix Garcia’s dead-ball expertise, providing numerous ways to create chances and secure victories.
Despite early doubts about their title credentials, Girona’s 10-point lead over fifth place in the race for Champions League qualification speaks to their potential to achieve remarkable success. In a season of surprise leaders across European football, Girona stands out as a team with that extra something, finally proving that they belong among La Liga’s elite.
