Girona: How Guardiola Is Helping La Liga Minnows Mount Unlikely Title Challenge

• La Liga minnows Girona have surprised everyone this season with their impressive form
• The Catalan club sits above Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in the standings
• Girona only achieved promotion from the second tier to the Spanish top flight last season

When it comes to the La Liga title race, any proper football fan will tip either Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Atletico Madrid to win it.

The three clubs have dominated the Spanish top flight for two decades and no other club has won the title since the 2003/2004 campaign.

Barcelona have won it 11 times, Real Madrid have six titles, and Atletico have two wins in the last two decades.

Despite these three clubs typically being favourites to win the title once again, a small club is defying the odds this season.

That club is Girona who, after 12 rounds of matches, find themselves at the top of the table. This is an incredible feat for a club that only gained promotion last season, with the Blanquivermells winning nine of their 11 matches.

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Only Real Madrid have managed to beat them, when Carlo Ancelotti’s men secured a 3-0 victory on September 30, according to the La Liga website.

Why are Girona so formidable this season?

The real reasons behind Girona’s success so far this season are anyone’s guess, but we can consider several factors that play in their favour.

Their manager, Miguel Ángel Sánchez Muñoz has experience guiding struggling clubs to promotion, leading Rayo Vallecano and Huesca out of the second tier.

Since taking charge of Girona in 2021, he has been on an upward trajectory with the club, seeing them promoted and claiming a respectable 10th place on the log in 2022/23.

The club’s owners could also be playing into that success since Girona is owned by City Football Group, who also own Manchester City and 12 other teams.

Finally, further up the club’s hierarchy, Girona is run by Pep Guardiola’s brother, Pere, who was once the agent of Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta, per GOAL.

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Pere took a 16 per cent stake at Girona in 2017 shortly before the City buyout and now works as the club's chairman. Having a Guardiola running things at your club behind the scenes certainly does not hurt one’s chances at success.

The underdogs are proving they are more than just a lucky team in La Liga this season, as they have scored the highest number of goals in the division after 12 games (31). They also boast the fifth-best defence in the Spanish league.

Girona could lock Man City out of UCL

Sports Brief also reported on a unique situation that could see Man City locked out of the Champions League.

The Citizens are enjoying a fine run of form in the competition and are currently atop Group G with 12 points.

Going by their current form, all signs point at City possibly challenging for another European treble this season.