Where Girona was the big surprise in Spain last season, this year the Catalan side has collapsed like a house of cards. Just a few months ago, the club of Donny van de Beek, Daley Blind, Arnaut Danjuma, and Gabriel Misehouy was still competing in the Champions League, but now they are even facing the threat of relegation to the Segunda División.
Everything seemed to be going perfectly for Girona last season. Under the leadership of successful coach Míchel, the club finished third in La Liga and even challenged for the title for a significant part of the campaign.
For the first time in the club’s history, they secured a spot in the Champions League, a remarkable achievement for a team that had only recently been promoted to Spain’s top flight. Their fast-paced, attacking football won praise from across Europe, and many believed Girona were on the verge of establishing themselves as a new force in Spanish football.
However, success came at a cost. During the summer, Girona lost several of their key players, either to bigger clubs or due to financial constraints. The replacements brought in struggled to match the standards set by their predecessors, and from the start of the new season, cracks began to appear. In the Champions League, Girona were unable to compete at the highest level, earning just three points from eight matches in a tough group. Their European campaign ended in disappointment, and they finished 33rd overall in the competition, a far cry from the expectations raised the previous season.
Despite their struggles in Europe, Girona managed to maintain a decent position in La Liga during the early part of the season. A win against Deportivo Alavés at the start of the calendar year saw them climb to eighth place, with a healthy twelve-point gap above the relegation zone. At that stage, there was little reason to panic. But football can be unforgiving, and Girona’s form took a dramatic downturn.
Since that high point, the team has collected just six points from their last thirteen league games. Confidence has visibly drained from the squad, and tactical adjustments by Míchel have failed to halt the slide. Injuries to key players, combined with a lack of depth in the squad, have only made matters worse. Their latest setback came in the form of a 1-3 home defeat against Real Betis Sevilla, a result that not only damaged morale further but also left them teetering just three points above the relegation zone, in 16th place.
The current form is the most worrying aspect. While Girona are stuck in a losing streak, their relegation rivals are managing to pick up points and gain momentum. In the second half of the season, 17th-placed Las Palmas have collected 10 points, 14th-placed Deportivo Alavés have earned 14, and 19th-placed Leganés have also managed 10. Only bottom club Real Valladolid is underperforming with just one point. With the bottom three teams in Spain facing automatic relegation, Girona’s margin for error is rapidly shrinking.
Even the presence of experienced Dutch players has not been enough to turn things around. Daley Blind, one of the most consistent performers, has played in 28 league matches, starting 25 of them, but his leadership has not prevented the team’s decline. Donny van de Beek, expected to be a creative force, has managed just 2 goals and 2 assists in 25 appearances, 16 of them as a starter. Arnaut Danjuma, another high-profile addition, has contributed 4 goals but no assists across 18 starts and 7 substitute appearances. Gabriel Misehouy, a young talent, has had limited impact, scoring 1 goal in just 1 start and 8 appearances from the bench.
The mood around the club is tense, and fans are growing restless. What was once seen as a dream season has become a nightmare, and the fear of dropping into the Segunda División is now very real. A crucial week lies ahead for Girona, as they prepare to face direct relegation rival Leganés on Thursday. With four straight losses already behind them, another defeat could be catastrophic. If they fail to get a result, Girona could find themselves slipping into the bottom three, with just a handful of matches remaining to save their season.
The club’s management has so far kept faith in Míchel, but pressure is mounting on both the coach and the players to deliver. The next few games will likely determine not just Girona’s future in La Liga, but also the direction the club takes in the coming years. Relegation would not only be a sporting failure but could also have serious financial consequences, especially after the investments made to compete in Europe.
For Girona, the time for turning things around is now. The fight for survival has begun, and the team must rediscover the spirit and form that made them one of Spain’s most exciting sides just a year ago.
