The season Girona is putting together in LaLiga has the potential to be the biggest story in the history of the Spanish top flight. After 20 games, the club in the northeast of Spain leads the league. Girona only made its first appearance in LaLiga six years ago. After finishing 10th in the 2022/23 campaign, Girona has emerged into the class of elites in Spain. The club leads the league after 20 games with just one loss.
That is something its ownership group is used to. In August 2017, City Football Group, or CFG, purchased 44% of Girona to add a Spanish side to its impressive portfolio of clubs. The jewel in the crown of those clubs is Manchester City, which has had no shortage of success in England and now Europe. CFG applied that success to Girona, but it did so without the extravagant spending Manchester City experienced when its takeover happened in 2008.
What Girona has been able to do is far more organic, and it is indicative of sustainable growth in LaLiga. Girona is set up for the future to make it successful without the dependency on City Football Group. Here is how the Spanish side joined the upper class of clubs in Spain.
The proper appointments on and off the field
When CFG took over just shy of 50% of the club in 2017, Pere Guardiola became the brains for the Spanish side. Pere Guardiola is the brother of City manager Pep Guardiola. Pere made a name for himself in the soccer world as an agent traditionally representing Portuguese and Spanish players. Some of his more notable clients include Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta, both of whom had immense success with FC Barcelona.
His time as an agent built up the clientele and knowledge base to have a deep understanding of the Spanish soccer scene. Pep Guardiola has always had a knack for identifying talent in players. Perhaps some of that rubbed off on Pere during his spell as an agent. He maintains that position as an agent working with Sports Entertainment Group. His connections there…
Author : Kyle Fansler
Publish date : 2024-01-16 18:58:36
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.The post Why Girona is the best story in Europe this season first appeared on Soccer News.
Author : soccernews
Publish date : 2024-01-16 19:06:20
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.