A surprise after 20 years? Ukrainian cannonballer pulls Girona to success

Artem Dovbyk has been instrumental in Girona success in the Spanish league so far this season. After twenty years, will there be another surprise?

Girona continues to amaze the football world

No Real or Barcelona. Spain is ruled by an unexpected team. After twenty-one rounds, Girona of Catalonia are one point ahead of Real Madrid, who have one game in hand. And they were still in the second league the season before last.

The offensive duo from the Ukraine is behind the big surprise from Catalonia. Winger Viktor Tsygankov and, above all, forward Artem Dovbyk. Dovbyk last shone against struggling Sevilla.

The Girona canon contributed to the clear 5-1 win with a hat-trick in just six minutes. The author of twenty-four goals in the Ukrainian league last season for Dnipro is having another great year.

Twenty years of unprecedented

In the LaLiga scorers table, the Ukrainian is tied for first place with Real’s star Jude Bellingham. But compared to the 20-year-old English midfielder, he has two more assists (5).

There’s still plenty of time, we’re basically halfway through the Spanish competition, but if Girona’s footballers really dominate the league, a long unseen thing would happen.

LaLiga hasn’t been won in twenty years by anyone other than Barcelona or one of the pair of Madrid teams. Outside the big three, the last time Valencia triumphed was in 2004.

Remember players like Albelda, Baraja, Ayala or Aimar? Since then, nobody outside of Madrid and Barcelona has won the top Spanish competition. Will 2024 be a once-in-20-years exception?

Source: Transfermarkt, Girona FC