Real Madrid takes La Liga lead as Girona FC faces first setback in fairy-tale season

After securing a draw on Monday against Athletic Club de Bilbao (1-1), the small Catalan club now finds itself in the second position behind the Madrid giant. However, this season continues to be a complete surprise for the 13th-budget team in the Spanish league. Could this be the beginning of the end for the fairy tale of Girona FC?

Having achieved its best start to a season in history, the small Catalan club dropped points for the first time in two months by settling for a draw on Monday against Athletic Club de Bilbao (1-1), concluding the 14th round of La Liga.

This result has direct consequences in the standings, allowing Real Madrid to take the lead in the Spanish championship due to a better goal difference (+22 compared to +15).

Despite opening the scoring with Ukrainian international Viktor Tsygankov (1-0, 56th minute), Girona conceded the equalizer from Inaki Williams on the counter (1-1, 68th minute).

Nevertheless, the sensation of the first half of the La Liga season remains securely in the Champions League qualifying zone, with a four-point lead over Atlético de Madrid (3rd) and FC Barcelona (4th), and even ten points ahead of their Monday night opponent (5th) and Real Sociedad (6th).

The 13th-budget team in La Liga on the verge of reaching the Champions League?

Girona’s record, as the 13th-budget team in La Liga with a municipal stadium of 14,000 seats, is indeed remarkable, with a series of five consecutive victories in recent weeks and a total of eleven wins, two draws, and only one defeat in the top flight (on September 30 against Real Madrid, 0-3).

This slight setback against Bilbao doesn’t worry coach Michel Sanchez at all: «It was a great match from both teams, a very high-level performance. This match sets the standard for where we are; I think it’s the best opponent we’ve faced here».

Source: 20minutes

Posts Grid

CAF conducts draw for CHAN 2025 Second qualifiers

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) held the draw for the second round of CHAN 2025 qualifiers on Thursday, involving seven national teams vying for...

NBA/ Kevin durant joins elite 30,000-point club in NBA history

Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant etched his name into basketball immortality, becoming the eighth player in NBA history to surpass 30,000 career points. The 36-year-old achieved...

“Real Madrid triumphs 3-2 over Manchester City in thrilling Champions League First Leg”

In a thrilling encounter, Real Madrid turned the tables on Manchester City with a 3-2 victory in the first leg of their Champions League knockout...

Real Madrid/ Spanish Court upholds investigation against Footballer Raúl Asencio in underage Sex video scandal

A Spanish court has rejected an appeal by Raúl Asencio’s defense team, allowing an investigation into the footballer’s alleged involvement in the distribution of a...

 Boxing/ IBA files legal complaints against Olympic Champion Imane Khelif over gender eligibility

The International Boxing Association (IBA) announced on Monday that it has filed a complaint with Switzerland’s Attorney General and is preparing similar legal actions in...

Rugby/Morocco secures Rugby Africa Cup return after four-Year hiatus

The Moroccan national rugby team, the Atlas Lions, have made a triumphant return to the Rugby Africa Cup (RAC) after a four-year absence. Their 26-12...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *