According to former Spain and Barcelona winger Luis Garcia, Girona’s climb to the upper echelons of Spain’s LaLiga is not just an early season aberration, despite what the vast majority of soccer fans might think.
Girona coach Michel, on the other hand, has downplayed his team’s chances of winning the title, despite being level on 38 points with Real Madrid, only behind the league leaders on goal difference. However, Girona’s 12 wins, two defeats, and one draw so far are the same as Real Madrid, and their four-point lead over third-placed Barcelona is impressive, especially considering they have scored more goals than any other top-flight team ahead of their match against Barca on Sunday.
Garcia sees parallels between Girona’s rise and Leicester City’s fairytale win in the 2015-16 season, saying, “It’s the new Leicester, right? With Leicester I remember the talk was exactly the same — ‘Oh, you know, they will drop.’
Girona, promoted via a playoff in the 2021-22 season, seem to be following a similar script as Leicester, who needed a remarkable late rally to avoid what seemed like certain relegation the following season before embarking on their incredible title run the subsequent campaign.
Garcia believes it’s possible for Girona to maintain their position, as they don’t have European competition and many international players, giving them the advantages of rest and rotation. He acknowledges the potential pressure Girona may face in the last part of the season, but points out that the same doubts were expressed about Leicester.
Atletico Madrid are the only team apart from Real and Barcelona to have won LaLiga in the past decade, but Garcia believes greater investment means the European soccer landscape is poised to change. He also notes the impact of Newcastle United’s recent investment in the English Premier League.
Garcia reflects on his time with Barcelona in the 2003-04 season, where they dropped 10 points over the final two months and finished second to Valencia, acknowledging it as a massive blow. He also highlights his time at Liverpool, where they faced challenges in winning the Premier League title. He emphasizes the competitiveness of the current Liverpool squad under Juergen Klopp.
Overall, he believes that the landscape of European soccer is changing, and smaller clubs like Girona have the potential to challenge the traditional top teams.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
