Girona FC

Girona
Full name Girona Futbol Club, S.A.D.
Nickname(s)

Blanquivermell (White and Reds),

Gironistes
Founded 23 July 1930 (1930-07-23)
Ground Montilivi, Girona
Capacity 13,450
Owner City Football Group (44.3%)
Girona Football Group (44.3%)
Chairman Delfí Geli
Manager Eusebio Sacristán
League La Liga
2017–18 La Liga, 10th
Website Club website

Girona Futbol Club, S.A.D. is a professional football club based in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. Founded on 23 July 1930, it plays in La Liga, having been promoted to the first-division league for the first time at the end of the 2016–17 season. Girona holds its home matches at the 13,450-capacity Estadi Montilivi.

The club also has youth and amateur women's teams for competition.

History

On 23 July 1930, in the café Norat in La Rambla of Girona, Girona Futbol Club was founded upon the dissolution of Unió Esportiva Girona for economic reasons. The team subsequently entered in the second division of the Catalan Championships. Its first official match was against Colònia Artigas with the lineup: Florenza, Teixidor, Farró, Flavià, Comas, Corradi, Ferrer, Escuder, Clara, Torrellas and Taradellas.

1935–36 was the first season Girona played in Segunda División, and the club finished in top position in its group, subsequently appearing in the playoff stage against Celta de Vigo, Real Zaragoza, Arenas Club, Real Murcia and Xerez, but finishing second from bottom, thus out of the La Liga promotion zone.

After the Spanish Civil War, the club fluctuated between the second level and Tercera División, falling into the latter category in 1959 and being further demoted in 1980 – Segunda División B was created as the new division three in 1977, and the club lasted three years in the competition. In 1968, construction of the Estadi Montilivi began, with home matches being held there on a permanent basis from 1970 onwards after nearly five decades at the Vista Alegre stadium.

In the following decades, Girona alternated between the third and the fourth divisions, even spending three seasons in the regional championships, in 1982–83 and 1997–99.[1] On 16 June 2008, after defeating Ceuta 1–0 in the play-offs, the Raül Agné-led side achieved a second consecutive promotion, returning to the second tier after a 49-year absence.[2][3]

On 22 July 2010, a group of local businessmen led by Ramon Vilaró, Joaquim Boadas and Josep Slim purchased 72% of the club's shares, previously held by former club president Josep Gusó and Josep Rofes, thus becoming the new owners of Girona. Vilaró was elected the new president while Agné, after a spell with Recreativo de Huelva, returned as manager for the upcoming second division campaign, lasting in the position until 14 January 2012 when he was sacked following a 0–3 loss at Recreativo.[4]

In 2011, Girona created a reserve team, having previously grown a natural grass pitch in Palau.[5] On 9 May 2013, the club's board of directors, under the slogan "El Girona FC també és meu" ("Girona FC is mine too"), approved an increase of the club's capital in €300,000 to be distributed in €10 shares, aiming to balance its estate.[6]

On the last matchday of the 2014–15 season, Girona needed to beat Lugo at home to earn promotion to La Liga, but were denied by a last-minute goal by the visitors. Girona had to settle for a play-off place, but were eliminated in the semi-finals by Real Zaragoza, despite winning the first leg 3–0. The next season, they reached the play-off final but were defeated by Osasuna. Girona finally earned promotion to La Liga after the 2016–17 season because Girona finished runners-up to Levante. This was the first time that Girona had ever been promoted to La Liga in their 87 year history.[7]

On 23 August 2017, it was announced City Football Group (CFG) had purchased 44.3% ownership in Girona. Another 44.3% was held by Girona Football Group, led by Pere Guardiola, the brother of CFG-owned Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.[8] On 29 October 2017, Girona recorded a memorable victory defeating reigning European Cup winners Real Madrid 2–1.[9][10]

In July 2018 it was announced that Girona FC would be participating in their first ever Pre-Season international tournament held in India by Nippon Toyota. Girona FC faced the Indian team Kerala Blasters and the Australian Team Melbourne City FC

Training centre

The club's new training facilities are under construction since December 2017,[11] located at the PGA Catalunya Golf Course complex to the south of Girona. Occupying an area of 20,000 m2 (220,000 sq ft), the new complex will serve as the exclusive training centre of the club for the next ​3 1⁄2 years. It will be home to a 110 m × 72 m (361 ft × 236 ft) training pitch of hybrid grass as well as a 160 m × 72 m (525 ft × 236 ft) pitch of natural grass, in addition to indoor training facilities.[12]

Season to season

Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1933–34 3 3ª 1st
1934–35 2 2ª 4th Third round
1935–36 2 2ª 1st Round of 16
1939–40 2 2ª 3rd First round
1940–41 2 2ª 4th Third round
1941–42 2 2ª 5th
1942–43 2 2ª 6th
1943–44 3 3ª 5th Second round
1944–45 3 3ª 3rd
1945–46 3 3ª 6th
1946–47 3 3ª 4th
1947–48 3 3ª 1st Third round
1948–49 2 2ª 10th Round of 16
1949–50 2 2ª 9th Third round
1950–51 2 2ª 16th
1951–52 3 3ª 6th
1952–53 3 3ª 8th
1953–54 3 3ª 2nd
1954–55 3 3ª 1st
1955–56 3 3ª 2nd
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1956–57 2 2ª 9th
1957–58 2 2ª 9th
1958–59 2 2ª 15th First round
1959–60 3 3ª 11th
1960–61 3 3ª 4th
1961–62 3 3ª 2nd
1962–63 3 3ª 4th
1963–64 3 3ª 6th
1964–65 3 3ª 7th
1965–66 3 3ª 7th
1966–67 3 3ª 3rd
1967–68 3 3ª 8th
1968–69 3 3ª 11th
1969–70 3 3ª 3rd Second round
1970–71 3 3ª 2nd First round
1971–72 3 3ª 8th First round
1972–73 3 3ª 2nd Second round
1973–74 3 3ª 3rd First round
1974–75 3 3ª 6th Second round
1975–76 3 3ª 3rd First round
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1976–77 3 3ª 2nd Third round
1977–78 3 2ªB 6th Third round
1978–79 3 2ªB 13th Third round
1979–80 3 2ªB 19th First round
1980–81 4 3ª 7th
1981–82 4 3ª 18th
1982–83 5 Regional 1st
1983–84 4 3ª 9th
1984–85 4 3ª 7th
1985–86 4 3ª 2nd
1986–87 4 3ª 7th First round
1987–88 3 2ªB 19th
1988–89 4 3ª 1st First round
1989–90 3 2ªB 12th
1990–91 3 2ªB 7th Second round
1991–92 3 2ªB 3rd
1992–93 3 2ªB 15th Third round
1993–94 3 2ªB 15th First round
1994–95 3 2ªB 18th First round
1995–96 4 3ª 13th
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1996–97 4 3ª 19th
1997–98 5 Regional 5th
1998–99 5 Regional 1st
1999–00 4 3ª 7th
2000–01 4 3ª 8th
2001–02 4 3ª 9th
2002–03 4 3ª 2nd
2003–04 3 2ªB 7th
2004–05 3 2ªB 17th Round of 32
2005–06 4 3ª 1st
2006–07 4 3ª 2nd First round
2007–08 3 2ªB 1st
2008–09 2 2ª 16th Third round
2009–10 2 2ª 14th Third round
2010–11 2 2ª 11th Second round
2011–12 2 2ª 15th Second round
2012–13 2 2ª 4th Second round
2013–14 2 2ª 15th Round of 32
2014–15 2 2ª 3rd Third round
2015–16 2 2ª 4th Second round
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
2016–17 2 2ª 2nd Second round
2017–18 1 1ª 10th Round of 32
2018–19 1 1ª —

Current squad

As of 31 August 2018[13]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Spain GK Gorka Iraizoz
2 Colombia DF Bernardo Espinosa
3 Colombia DF Johan Mojica
4 Spain DF Jonás Ramalho
5 Spain DF Pedro Alcalá
6 Spain MF Álex Granell (captain)
7 Uruguay FW Cristhian Stuani (3rd captain)
8 Spain MF Pere Pons
9 Spain FW Portu
10 Spain MF Borja García
11 Spain MF Aday Benítez (vice-captain)
No. Position Player
12 Brazil MF Douglas Luiz (on loan from Manchester City)
13 Morocco GK Yassine Bounou
15 Spain DF Juanpe
17 England FW Patrick Roberts (on loan from Manchester City)
19 Honduras FW Anthony Lozano
20 Spain DF Marc Muniesa
21 Spain DF Carles Planas
22 Ivory Coast FW Seydou Doumbia
23 Spain MF Aleix García (on loan from Manchester City)
29 Spain MF Pedro Porro
30 Spain GK José Aurelio Suárez

Reserve team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
27 Cameroon FW Kévin Soni
28 Spain DF Èric Montes
No. Position Player
32 South Korea MF Seung-ho Paik
36 Spain GK Marc Vito

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
— Spain MF Sebas Coris (at Gimnàstic until 30 June 2019)
— Spain MF Jairo Izquierdo (at Cádiz until 30 June 2019)

Personnel

Name Position Appointed
Eusebio Sacristán Manager 2018
Omar Harrak Goalkeeping coach 2014
Francesc Rebled Sarra President -

Managers

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Historia" [History] (in Spanish). Girona's official website. Archived from the original on 4 December 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  2. ↑ "El Girona entona el alirón" [Girona sings "We are the champions"] (PDF) (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 16 June 2008. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  3. ↑ "El Girona aconsegueix un ascens històric a la Segona Divisió en vèncer el Ceuta per la mínima (1–0)" [Girona achieves historic promotion to Second Division by beating Ceuta by odd goal (1–0)] (in Catalan). Esport 3. 16 June 2008. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  4. ↑ "Cesado por sus malos resultados deportivos" [Fired for poor sporting results] (in Spanish). Huelva Ya. 14 January 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  5. ↑ "El Llagostera entrena en el campo del Girona" [Llagostera trains in Girona pitch] (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 25 May 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  6. ↑ "El Girona FC también es mío" [El Girona FC también es mío] (in Spanish). Girona's official website. 9 May 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  7. ↑ http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2017/06/05/girona-promoted-la-liga-first-time-87-years
  8. ↑ "Girona FC, acquired by new investors" (in Catalan). Girona FC. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  9. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/oct/29/real-madrid-shock-defeat-girona-catalan-club-football
  10. ↑ http://www.eurosport.com/football/liga/2017-2018/girona-v-real-madrid-live_sto6383913/story.shtml
  11. ↑ "Comienza la instalación del césped en los nuevos campos de entrenamiento del Girona en el PGA Catalunya Resort de Caldes de Malavella" [The installation of the turf begins in the new Girona training camps at the PGA Catalunya Resort in Caldes de Malavella] (in Spanish). 18 January 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  12. ↑ "El Girona FC estrenará en enero dos nuevos campos de entrenamiento en el PGA Catalunya Resort de Caldes" [Girona FC debut in January two new training camps in the PGA Catalunya Resort in Caldes] (in Spanish). 13 December 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  13. ↑ "Primer equipo" [First team] (in Spanish). Girona FC. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
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