Three La Liga victories in 26 matches
Last season, the iconic Champions League anthem echoed throughout the Montilivi stadium as Girona made their debut in the prestigious tournament. With a capacity of 14,624, it was the smallest venue in the competition, symbolizing their incredible rise. Girona first entered La Liga in 2017 after 87 years of existence, and in the 2023/24 season, they surprisingly led the Spanish top-flight, reminiscent of Leicester City’s fairytale.
In the end, they secured a third-place finish behind Real Madrid and Barcelona, finishing ahead of Atlético Madrid and earning a spot in the Champions League. The expectations were high for Girona to establish themselves in European competitions, largely due to the City Football Group holding a 47% stake in the club. However, the reality has been starkly different. After narrowly escaping relegation last season, they currently sit at the bottom of La Liga after ten matches. What went wrong?
The Challenges Post-Champions League Qualification
The harsh truth is that Girona were exceeding expectations and have now found those expectations to be unrealistic. The city of Girona, with a population of less than 100,000, has become a victim of its own success, and the extent of their decline is concerning. With just five games left in the previous season, Girona was in real danger of relegation, sitting just three points above the drop zone. Veteran striker Cristhian Stuani proved crucial in helping them avoid the fall, scoring vital goals against Mallorca and Valladolid as they ultimately finished 16th.
This season, Girona’s struggles have persisted, achieving only one win and currently holding the worst goal difference in the league. Additionally, they have managed just three wins from their last 26 La Liga matches, despite boasting the ninth most valuable squad. Their Champions League qualification prevented them from loaning players from Manchester City last season, and La Liga expert Iván Fuente notes that their earlier success was an overachievement. “The point may not be that Girona’s performance has declined, but rather that two seasons ago their performance was exceptional,” Fuente explained. “Finishing third was unprecedented, as they had never previously ranked above tenth in their history, which encompasses only six seasons in La Liga.”
Girona’s Spending: Failing to Build on Success?
Girona’s relationship with Manchester City is well-known, especially with Pep Guardiola’s brother, Pere, as chairman. While their association with the heavily-backed City group has been beneficial, misconceptions persist that their ascent in Spanish football has come through substantial investment. This is not the case, as detailed assessments of their spending post-promotion indicate. However, their transfer activity following that impressive third-place finish has been problematic, with key player departures not adequately replaced. Artem Dovbyk, Aleix García, Eric García, and Savinho left after their successful season, and the new signings have not matched their predecessors’ impact.
Fuente points out: “Míchel has lost numerous players who were instrumental to their success two years ago—Dovbyk, Savinho, García, Miguel Gutiérrez, and Yangel Herrera. Others have aged, such as Paolo Gazzaniga, David López, Stuani, and Daley Blind. Furthermore, the new signings like Bojan Miovski, Yáser Asprilla, Abel Ruiz, Donny van de Beek, and Arnaut Danjuma have not delivered as expected.”
Since the start of the 2024/25 season, Girona ranks as the sixth highest spender in La Liga (€73.4 million) but has made significantly more from player sales (€115.8 million), resulting in a €42.4 million profit, the fourth highest in La Liga. Yet, unlike their counterparts, they have not reinvested those gains to build upon their success. The City group has invested heavily to elevate Manchester City to a leading position in European football but has taken a more cautious approach with Girona. Clearly, winning trophies or frequently qualifying for European competitions isn’t the primary goal for the City group regarding Girona.
