Girona vs Barcelona
In mid-December, I remember being inspired about Girona, the club from North Catalonia competing in only in its fourth ever season in the Spanish top-flight.
I could hardly have been more effusive in my praise of a side which, at the time, was leading La Liga and had just gone to the Nou Camp and beaten the champions and neighbours Barcelona in their own backyard.
Now, almost five months on, as their class of 2024 prepares to take on their fellow Catalonians again, my respect for them has only increased further.
Sure, they have slipped to third in the table and are 13 points behind champions-elect Real Madrid, but that rather misses the point.
For the sheer fact Girona are on the cusp of qualifying for Europe – and the Champions League at that – for the first time in their history is the only story here.
Victory on Saturday will not only secure that but leapfrog them above Barca into second place. That is the measure of their potential achievement.
Talking Points
Now let me embellish.
Girona has a ground that holds only 14,624, some of them on scaffolding stands. The side hails from a city of 97,586 people, overshadowed by Barcelona 99 kilometres down the road, and a club which sold a number of its best players last summer, including Oriol Romeu (to Barcelona), top scorer Taty Castellanos, their best winger Rodrigo Riquelme, and centre-back Santi Bueno.
So just how can this outfit be competing in the upper echelons of the Spanish league, outperforming some of the biggest names in Europe, and ultimately defy the SBOTOP La Liga 2024 odds?
Well, it stems from Michel Sanchez, who will surely claim the manager of the year title when the campaign comes to an end.
He has certainly brought the best out of many of his squad.
Among their many stars creating La Liga 2024 highlights this term is Artem Dovbyk.
With just five matchdays remaining, he is on course to win the Pichichi Trophy, the prize given out at the end of each campaign to the competition’s top scorer.
Never before has a Girona player or a Ukrainian won it, but the 26 year-old could change that as he currently leads the standings with 19 goals, two more than Alexander Sorloth and Jude Bellingham, his closest challengers.
Like Robert Lewandowski did last term, Dovbyk is hoping to lift the Pichichi in his debut season in La Liga. In fact, this is his first ever campaign in one of Europe’s top five leagues, having only previously played in Moldova, Denmark, and his native Ukraine.
Hopefully, the club will be able to keep him and their other top performers out of the clutches of their more illustrious rivals this summer, including Barcelona who may well embark on a clear out of some of their star names.
There is a bit more certainty at the Nou Camp now manager Xavi has made a U-turn and decided to stay.
With president Joan Laporta keen for him to remain, the former Barcelona and Spain midfielder had a change of heart and a busy summer of ingoings and outgoings looks likely.
That Barca’s spending dwarfs many, not least Girona, points to what a fine job Michael is doing.
Win the Catalan derby on Saturday teatime – and a league double will be secured over Barca for the first time ever.
The match could also be a crucial factor in determining who will finish second and book their place in the 2025 Spanish Super Club next January.
Win, lose, or draw, that is the company Girona is keeping right now.
History
Given Girona’s meteoric rise to prominence in recent years, you may not be surprised to hear this will only be their eighth competitive meeting.
Barca have four wins to their name with two draws and that impressive Girona triumph in December – a 4-2 win at the Nou Camp when Dovbyk, Miguel Gutiérrez, Valery, and Cristhian Stuani goals rendered the hosts silent.
They had found the net through Lewandowski and İlkay Gündoğan. This corresponding contest last season ended in a narrow Barca victory with Pedri scoring the only goal of the game.
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