Catalonia has a new ruler. Is Girona a real title contender and why can’t they be compared to Leicester?

If you don’t follow Spanish La Liga much and only occasionally glance at the table, you must be surprised. Girona CF, the club with the smallest stadium in the league, boasts the top spot. What is the reason for this miracle?

Girona were already playing great football last season after their return to the elite. This year, however, it’s a different story. When Girona won the first few rounds, it might have seemed like luck or coincidence.

But we can’t talk about that after round 16, when Girona beat Barcelona 4-2 on their field and were even the better team. Thanks to the draw of Real Madrid, they returned to the top of the La Liga table.

Girona also boasts the best attack in the league, having already scored 38 goals. In Catalonia, there is a new ruler in Barcelona’s misery.

Many fans have thought of comparing Girona to Leicester when they sensationally won the Premier League in 2016. But you can’t quite compare it to that. Why?

Girona is not Leicester

Leicester was a footballing fairytale, a true miracle where an underdog team defied the odds and won the whole league. Girona are no pushover team, even though they are only in their second year in La Liga and have the smallest stadium in the competition.

In fact, the club is half owned by the same owners as Manchester City. And while most Spanish clubs are struggling with finances and can’t afford to buy much, Girona have strengthened solidly over the summer.

Striker Artem Dovbyk arrived from Ukrainian side Dnipro for a fee of €7.7 million. For six million, only 18-year-old Jhon Solís came from Colombia. Ecuador’s Yangel Herrera arrived from Manchester City for 5 million euros.

From Getafe, the 31-year-old Portu returned. And now for the bigger names. Daley Blind arrived as a free agent from Bayern Munich, which came as a shock to many. Argentine goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, who you may also know from Tottenham, also came as a free agent from Fulham.

In addition, Barcelona added their Catalan “colleague” on loan, stopper Eric García and midfielder Pablo Torre. The 19-year-old Brazilian Savio, who arrived from Troyes, is also showing great form.

In addition, the iconic Cristhian Stuani, Ukrainian winger Viktor Tsygankov, who a few years ago played for Slavia in the Dynamo Kiev jersey, is already in the squad. The game is managed by the excellent midfielder Aleix García, who also played for the Citizens, while the young Real Madrid player Miguel Guttieréz, whom Los Blancos may soon recall, is playing on the left flank.

Girona have only lost once in 16 rounds, to Real Madrid. It has also notched up just two draws, managing three points in the remaining 13 games. It has beaten Barcelona, Sevilla, Villarreal and Valencia, while draws came against Real Sociedad and Athletic.

Even so, Girona’s run is a great achievement. After all, its entire squad is worth just €161 million, Barcelona’s €862 million and Real Madrid’s even over a billion euros.

Source: La Liga