Girona’s unexpected ascent: From Segunda División struggles to Champions League hopefuls
BIRMINGHAM EASTSIDE | THE GOAN EVERYDAY
Girona is steeped in history — but not the footballing kind. However, that could change in the months to come. The city that served as a filming location for Game of Thrones is now experiencing one of La Liga’s most incredible campaigns.
The Nadal family has watched the club from its days of struggle in the lower divisions of Spanish football to its recent highs in La Liga. Girona FC has been on a stellar run under Míchel Sanchez in the 2023/24 campaign, contending for a top spot among traditional giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.
“It feels unexpected and surprising,” said 18-year-old Jan Nadal, who hails from Girona, a city dotted with historical monuments and mediaeval walls that witnessed several conquerors seize the province.
“Two seasons ago, we were in the Second Division, fighting to not get relegated to the Third.
“We’ve done everything with the same manager, so it’s been surprising and amazing,” he adds with a glimmer of excitement in his eyes.
His father, Raimon, the founder of Penya Pere Pons, an official supporters’ club of Girona FC, is even more buoyant about the club’s surreal performances.
“For me, it’s even more special because of my generation. I’m from 1976, and he [Jan] is from 2005, so he is born with the new generation, with the new era of the club,” he tells The Asterisk.
“He doesn’t know about the past, but I know; we were even worse, so for me, it is even more unexpected and even more surprising. It’s just incredible!
“We were like an amateur club [in the 90s and 00s], less than 100 people in the stadium, and players didn’t get paid. These kinds of things make it even more special.”
But Raimon confessed that the moment was distinctively extraordinary for his 75-year-old dad, Joaquim Nadal Farreras, who witnessed the team that was formed in 1930 play at the Vista Alegre Stadium, the club’s previous home ground. Joaquim is a local politician and a member of the advisory board of Girona FC.
“I have always seen Girona play at Montilivi Stadium,” explains Raimon, “which is very different now because they have built more infrastructure to adapt to the Spanish First Division. But my dad, he saw the team in another stadium, so for him, it is even more unexpected to experience what we’re living right now.”
Míchel’s masterclass
Girona’s success has been credited to the manager, fondly known as Míchel, who took over the reins in 2021.
The 48-year-old likes to build up play from the back, a style synonymous with Pep Guardiola, whose brother Pere is part-owner and chairman of Girona FC.
“The reason for our success is the way we play,” says Jan. “Our manager likes to pass the ball from behind and construct the attack. And this is the way we played when we were not that good in the Second Division.”
Competing with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona is a Herculean task, especially when both clubs are financially superior to Girona. However, the club’s team spirit has been a driving catalyst for their success.
“It is not all about money, it’s a team sport,” says Raimon. “The team works all together, and that’s one of the good jobs that our manager is doing.”
Raimon also has the pleasure of knowing the manager personally. Once a week, he will play padel with the Girona gaffer, a sport similar to tennis which is very popular in Spain.
“For him, it’s a good way to disconnect from football.”
Padel is often played in pairs (doubles) and is a good way to bond with your companion. It allowed Raimon to gain insights into Míchel’s character.
“He is passionate and is really good at his job, very kind,” Raimon says. “These kinds of things, the players feel it, they see it.
“The other day a player who doesn’t play very often, Portu, scored a goal, so he went to hug the coach. You don’t see this very often.”
Shrewd business
Girona lost some important players in the summer of 2023.
Argentine forward Taty Castellanos, whose 13 goals played a vital role in Girona’s 10th-place finish, moved to Lazio. He was on loan from Major League Soccer side New York City FC. Atletico Madrid youngster Rodrigo Riquelme also returned to the Wanda Metropolitano.
However, the biggest loss was Oriol Romeu. The defensive midfielder was an integral part of Míchel’s plans. But when Barcelona comes calling, it is hard to turn them down.
“Our coach was saying that Oriol Romeu leaving us to go to FC Barcelona was a disaster,” Raimon recalls.
“He was telling me at the end of the season, ‘Raimon, I don’t know what kind of player we can sign with the same profile; it is impossible, we have no money to pay for the same kind of player. For me, it is going to be very tough, and it is a very, very big problem for me.’
“But in the end, we don’t miss him; we are the leaders.”
Girona went on to make some shrewd signings in the same window.
New recruits Artem Dovbyk (forward), Sávio (left-winger), Yangel Herrera (midfielder), and Iván Martín (attacking midfielder) have scored 27 of Girona’s 51 goals in La Liga, the highest in the league.
The Blanquivermells paid a club-record fee of £6.5 million to acquire Dovbyk from the Ukrainian side Dnipro-1. The 26-year-old has had an impressive opening spell, contributing 14 goals and seven assists, making him the club’s top-scorer.
Brazilian youngster Sávio, on loan from ESTAC Troyes, a club in the French Second Division, has been making a significant impression as well. The 19-year-old has registered six goals and seven assists this season.
Dutchman Daley Blind arrived on a free transfer from Bayern Munich and has added some much-needed experience to Míchel Sanchez’s backline.
Eric Garcia has also been decent, and it was his goal against Villarreal on the 27th of September 2023, at the Estadi de la Ceràmica, that temporarily put Girona at the top — a first in the history of the club.
“A lot of players are seeing Girona as a good place to continue, to go forward with their careers,” says Raimon. “So now we’re able to sign very good players with low salaries. Girona is becoming a place that is very attractive for players.”
‘Entering a new dimension’
Girona’s impressive run in the first half of the season not only raised a few eyebrows but sparked scepticism too. Would the club be able to sustain a genuine title charge?
Before the Barcelona encounter at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Girona had dropped points on only three occasions: draws with Real Betis and Athletic Bilbao, and a loss to Real Madrid.
There were concerns about whether Girona would be able to bag important points against sides that compete for European spots.
But on 10th December 2023, the White and Reds astonished the world after silencing their Catalonian counterparts with an emphatic 4-2 victory.
“As the coach said, if we beat Barcelona, we enter another dimension. That was what was missing in the team, beating a top-four or top-six club, but we did it!” Jan says.
For Raimon, the game was the highlight of the season: “We were at the stadium. It was amazing!”
Girona also stunned Diego Simeone’s Atletico 4-3 at the Montilivi Stadium. A stoppage-time goal from Iván Martín not only ousted Atletico from the Champions League places at that time but also signalled to the other half of Madrid that Girona are serious contenders.
Record attendances, changing allegiances
Girona’s on-field success has had a profound impact on the community. The city, which had citizens rooting for Barcelona in the near past, is now proudly donning the club’s white and red colours.
“More people are wearing the shirts in the streets and there are many more people in the stadium,” Jan says.
“In the Second Division, two years ago, the average (attendance) was around 6000 people in the stadium, except in the playoff matches where it was full.
“And even more years ago, as my father said, there were 100 or 500 people in the stadium, and we could walk all around the stadium and change our positions when there was a penalty or something.”
His father chips in: “And also for all of Girona city and the province, it’s changing a lot.
“The people used to be FC Barcelona fans, some even Real Madrid, even though we’re in Catalonia. It was very divided.”
While the local team competed in the lower divisions it was common to root for a team in La Liga.
“I’m also an FC Barcelona fan; of course, Girona is always first, it is my city, I love it, and I am very happy, but I have my feelings about FC Barcelona as well. I have friends who support Real Madrid, but now we’re separating our feelings. We’re focusing on Girona.
“It is a thing that creates a connection with our families, our sons,” he says, pointing to Jan. “You can see that in the stadium and the city.”
A sense of pride has washed over the city as the team continues to rack up wins.
“Everybody is buzzing,” Jan smiles. “We’re all very positive that we can finish in the Champions League spots… but some say winning the league.”
And while the city is beaming, Raimon underlines that they are not getting too carried away.
“We are not that crazy about football, so we are living calmly and quietly,” he says.
“We are Girona, and the Catalan society is not like the south of Spain that is very passionate.
“That’s a good thing for our manager. For example, our players, they live comfortable lives in the city. They feel comfortable because even if they win or they don’t win, they can go to the places, and the people will not disturb them very much.
“Our coach, he says, ‘If I were coaching Sevilla, in the south of Spain, or other teams, it is impossible to go to the city or outside but here in Girona, it’s possible.'”
A tough second half
Although Girona’s fine form has the community delighted, Jan and Raimon emphasised that the defence may need some extra work.
When asked who or what areas the club may need to prioritise to stay in the Champions League places, Raimon jokes: “Getting back Oriol Romeu maybe!”
“Now he wouldn’t play,” Jan laughs, before his tone turns more serious: “We have good players like Blind, Garcia, and David Lopez, but then on the bench, we have two veterans who used to play in the Second Division with us.
“Now in the First Division, they are not good enough. They are slow and cannot start with the ball from the defence.”
Another defender and a left-back, he feels, are a priority.
“We only have Miguel Gutiérrez (left-back), who has been very good and had an excellent match against Barcelona, but if he gets injured, we’ll have to put Blind (in Gutiérrez’s position), who isn’t that fast.”
As Girona heads towards a critical phase of the season, Raimon suggests that the team will have it much harder in the second half.
“Two reasons for that. One,” he says, pointing to his eye, “is because, of course, all the teams now will worry about us. And the other one is because even if we are playing very good football, we have to realise that we have won a few games that we didn’t start losing, so it’s not going to always be like that.”
Míchel Sanchez’s impressive work has not gone unnoticed and has found himself on the radar of Newcastle United.
“Hopefully, the Premier League will not take away our manager.” Raimon crosses his fingers, “but I think it is a matter of fact that it will happen.”
“Hopefully, we will enjoy him a little bit more, but I don’t think so,” he laughs. “We’ll see next year what happens.”
Eyeing Europe
The father and son duo are not getting too carried away about being crowned La Liga champions. They are realistic about the club’s prospects.
“We’ll see,” says Raimon. “I don’t think we can make it like Leicester City did. It’s going to be very tough. You never know!”
“We hope to finish in the top-four,” says Jan. “Champions League. That would be more than enough.”
“Wow! Definitely for us, it’s enough!” adds Raimon. “If we qualify for the Champions League, it’s like winning the league.
“We will celebrate the same way we did when we were promoted to the Spanish First Division. I will probably take a swim in the Onyar River and do some fireworks,” he laughs.