Girona From Second Division to Champions League in Two Years
Girona, amidst their best year ever under the leadership of Míchel Sánchez, secured a spot in the Champions League with an unforgettable victory against Barcelona (4-2) just 685 days after their last match in the Second Division on June 19, 2022.
The team has qualified for continental competition in only their fourth season in La Liga. While Getafe, Málaga Club de Fútbol, and Villarreal achieved this in their fourth season, Girona waited one more year and did it in style directly into the Champions League.
They are now the team that has needed the fewest seasons in La Liga to access the top European competition, ahead of Villarreal (6).
The priority for this season, in Girona's perspective, was to string together three seasons in the elite league for the first time, after spending only two in the initial stage (2017-2019). But "the players have achieved much more than we could have imagined, more than we could have dreamed of," as Míchel argued in the press conference following the victory against Barça.
First, they secured their safety, then surpassed their highest historical points total in La Liga (51, 2017-2018, under Pablo Machín), ensured a top-ten finish, European qualification, and ended up among the top five. Now, they have confirmed their place in the Champions League.
Míchel also expressed his desire to play at Anfield and Borussia Dortmund's stadiums and to host Bayern Munich or Inter Milan. He mentioned that Girona's next "dream" and "step" is to "win a title." "It will be a dream, but sometimes dreams come true," said the coach.
The team, he assured, has completed an "incredible" and "historic" season. "With 74 points with four matchdays remaining, it's a remarkable score, one of the best in history outside the top three clubs." In fact, Girona is on the verge of another remarkable achievement: being the team outside the trio of Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atlético Madrid with the highest points total since victories are worth three points and La Liga has 20 teams. That is, since the 1997-1998 season.
They have four matchdays to surpass Valencia (75 points in 2001-2002, champions, and 77 in 2003-2004, champions, and 2014-2015, fourth), Sevilla (76 in 2014-2015, fifth, and 77 in 2020-2021, fourth), Villarreal (77 in 2007-2008, second), and Real Sociedad (76 in 2002-2003, second).
And the major challenge is to finish the season in second place and play in the Spanish Super Cup. Today, they have one point more than Barcelona plus the 'goal average' because they won both direct duels: 2-4 in the first leg and 4-2 this Saturday. It's only the third time that Barcelona has lost both La Liga matches against a Catalan team.
The last time was in 1941-1942, against Espanyol. It was the last season when Barcelona was not the highest-ranked Catalan team. If Girona achieves it now, it would be yet another remarkable feat for a team, a club, and fans who have always been accustomed to suffering, but are now smiling and experiencing the best year in their history.
