Girona, currently leading La Liga, is striving to temper expectations after a remarkable start
to the season that positioned them as genuine contenders for the Spanish league title. Their recent 4-2 victory against defending champion Barcelona solidified their position at the top, hinting at their potential to compete with the traditional powerhouses of Spanish soccer.
Despite this success, coach MÃchel Sánchez is cautious about setting overly ambitious goals for the team. While acknowledging that Girona has surpassed the initial objective of avoiding relegation, he emphasizes that winning the league is not the primary goal. MÃchel believes the team cannot outpace Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid in the long run. He stated, "I don’t think we can keep up with Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid and win the league. It’s not our objective."
Girona has secured victories in 13 out of 16 Spanish league matches, making them the team with the most wins in the top five European leagues. Currently, they hold a two-point lead over Madrid and a seven-point advantage over both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. MÃchel commended his team for fearlessly challenging Barcelona, showcasing the character and attitude needed to pursue loftier goals.
While acknowledging the historic achievements of the team this year, MÃchel remains pragmatic about their chances of winning the league, stating, "But winning it all still is something too far away to think about. When we get to the final third of the season, we will see how things are and what our goals will be."
Partly owned by Manchester City's Abu Dhabi ownership, Girona finished 10th in the league last season after three consecutive years in the second tier. Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández praised Girona, saying, "Girona deserves a lot of credit. It has a great team. It’s the best team I’ve seen play so far."
Girona, boasting the league's best attack with 38 goals, has been a consistent presence near the top of the standings from the beginning. While they faced some doubts after a 3-0 loss to Real Madrid in September, it remains their only defeat of the season. Girona defender Miguel Gutierrez expressed optimism, stating, "We are in the lead, and we will keep fighting to stay in the lead. We have been doing things well, and we need to continue like this."
In contrast, Xavi admitted that the loss to Girona represented a step backward for Barcelona in their rebuilding process. He commented, "This is a Barcelona team that is being rebuilt. And this is part of it. You take a step backward to be able to take two steps forward."
Looking ahead, Barcelona faces Valencia in the Spanish league, while Girona hosts Alaves. Additionally, Barcelona visits Antwerp in the Champions League, having already secured a place in the knockout stage after two seasons of falling short.
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