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Girona have already defied convention in their debut La Liga season and the Catalan side will be hoping to continue their remarkable bid to qualify for next season’s Europa League when they visit Real Madrid for the first time on Sunday.
Girona have taken more points at this stage of the season than any other team in their first campaign in La Liga and stunned Real back in October by coming from behind to beat the 33-times champions 2-1 at home.
Pablo Machin’s side have already guaranteed top flight status next season by reaching 43 points and their attention has turned to staying or improving on their current position of seventh in the standings, which would give them a passport to European football for the first time in their 88-year history.
Girona’s majority shareholders are Pere Guardiola, brother of Manchester City coach Pep, and the City Football Group. They took five players from the Premier League leaders on loan this season although only defender Pablo Maffeo has played regularly.
Machin has perfected a 3-5-2 formation which has made his side formidable in defence, particularly at home, where they have kept six consecutive clean sheets.
They have also been lifted by the arrival of Uruguay striker Cristhian Stuani, who had a disappointing stint with Middlesbrough but has plundered 15 goals on his return to La Liga. His strike partner Portu has scored 11 times.
Midfielder Pere Pons said the team’s success has been especially enjoyable considering their long road to getting to the top flight, which saw them lose in the play-offs three times in four seasons.
“They were difficult moments and the last play-off defeat (against Osasuna in 2016) affected us all very badly, so some specialists came to see us to help us develop our mental strength for the following season,” Pons told Reuters.
“They taught us how to cope with the situation the following year, to make sure we didn’t get haunted by the ghosts of the past, and it worked very well.”
The team sealed their place in the top flight last June in front of their own fans with a goalless draw against Real Zaragoza.
“Evidently we remembered those bad experiences when we finally went up and it was an even more beautiful moment for the players and the city,” added Pons.
Ten of the 11 players who started against Zaragoza remain at the club along with coach Machin, who has been in charge since 2014.
“A lot of us had never been in La Liga and we play every game with a lot of enthusiasm, as if it could be our last,” added midfielder Borja Garcia.
Runaway leaders Barcelona host Athletic Bilbao on Sunday but will be without Sergio Busquets due to injury as they look to maintain their eight-point lead at the top of the standings over Atletico Madrid, who visit Villarreal.