Indeed, it appears that football management excellence runs in the Guardiola family. Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, currently leads the Premier League table, which is widely considered one of the most competitive and challenging leagues in the world. Meanwhile, his brother Pere Guardiola is at the top of the La Liga table with Girona, a club that has achieved an impeccable record so far in the current season.
The success of both brothers in their respective leagues highlights their footballing acumen and managerial prowess. However, Girona’s ultimate test is yet to come, as they face Real Madrid next in their upcoming La Liga outing.
Pep Guardiola’s brother leads Girona to the La Liga summit
Girona’s expectations for the current season in the Spanish league were initially modest, with many predicting another mediocre finish. However, the team has defied the odds by securing six consecutive wins and maintaining an undefeated record, leading to their surprising position atop the league standings. This remarkable start to the season has elevated the small club from Spain’s northeastern corner to a position of prominence in the league.
Girona’s coach, Míchel Sánchez, expressed his delight and emphasized the importance of enjoying the current moment. “We have to enjoy this moment. The game against Madrid will be precious”, he said. He made these comments after Girona secured the top spot in Spain’s top league for the first time following a remarkable 2-1 comeback victory against Villarreal on Wednesday.
Contributing to their current success is the club’s takeover by Abu Dhabi investors in 2017 when they bought 44.3% ownership in the Catalan club.
Pere Guardiola, who is the brother of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, serves as the managing director of Girona Football Group. This group holds an equal 44.3% share in Girona Football Club. The involvement of the Guardiola family in the club’s ownership structure adds an interesting dimension to Girona’s story and connections in the football world.
Girona set to face second-placed Real Madrid
Despite losing key players like Castellanos, Romeu, and Riquelme, Girona managed to bolster their squad with several new signings. These included Ukrainian striker Artem Dovbyk, winger Savinho, Netherlands defender Daley Blind, goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, and Barcelona duo Pablo Torre and Éric García on loan.
These new additions quickly adapted to the team’s strong core, which is led by midfielders Aleix García and Yangel Herrera, centre-back David López, and forward Viktor Tsygankov. The ability of these players to integrate seamlessly into the squad has contributed to Girona’s impressive start to the season.
Girona has been prolific in front of goal this season, currently leading the league in scoring alongside third-placed Barcelona, with both teams having scored 18 goals in their respective seven matches.
What makes Girona’s attack particularly effective is their ability to spread their attack among multiple players, making it challenging for opposing defences to focus on any single threat. So far, they have had 11 different scorers contributing to their goal tally. Among these, Artem Dovbyk and Yangel Herrera lead the team with three goals each, showcasing the team’s attacking depth and versatility.
Indeed, the club has maintained an impressive record so far, and they’ll look to continue the streak as they go against Real Madrid, who is second-placed in the league. Real Madrid so far has lost one out of five games, while Girona has kept an impeccable record, winning all five league games.
Girona is set to have their biggest challenge of the season yet, as they host the Madrid giant at home on Saturday at 17:30 pm local time.
