Girona, close to an unprecedented feat in 20 years: Winter champions outside Madrid and Barca | Sports New Spain

Forget that in Spain there are only three teams “fighting” to be champions. It is already known what Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid can achieve. Year after year they are leading the betting to be the monarch at the end of the season. However, In 2023-2024 it has a fourth candidate what is the feeling Girona.

The modest club from Catalonia are the leaders of La Liga after 16 matches. This weekend he pulled off a spectacular win over Barcelona, and leads by two points (41) to none other than Real Madrid (39), who lost 1-1 away to Betis and are plagued by injuries. For their part, their current opponents are fourth (34) with the same number of points as Atlético de Madrid, but with a worse goal difference.

Well, the script of the team he leads Miguel Ángel Sánchez Muñoz (Míchel) looks ideal with two days left to close in 2023 and has what is known as its title Winter champion. This purely decorative value is awarded to the club that finishes top of the table just before the winter break. However, this does not guarantee that they will lift the title at the end of the season.

What is certain is that the calendar could favor Girona over their pursuers, which would be relevant given that recent years have been You meringues and culés who share this distinction.

The big question, at this point, is: can Girona be winter champions? Next, details.

Can Girona be winter champions?

The answer suggests yes, but anything can happen. After the 16th matchday, there are two teams left in the rest of December on the red and white agenda: Alaves and Betis. The first one is in box 12 and doesn’t look as easy as it looks on paper. However, they haven’t won since November and in their last outing they lost to Las Palmas (at home).

In addition, it will be played at Montilivi, home of Girona, a venue where only Real Madrid have left them without points (September, 0-3 loss). Now, the next visit to Benito Villamarín will be more than tough. The Andalusians are seventh and have five straight wins against Michel’s team.

In the same series, Real Madrid will play at home against Villarreal and close the league with Alaves. also adding the sixth Champions League date (Tuesday 12 December) against Union Berlin.

On his part, Mr Barcelona have Valencia and Almeria on the calendar (except for the European match against Belgian Antwerp).

Therefore, as the number of games left is less. and considering the Whites’ lack of depth due to injuries, and the Blaugrana’s erratic moment, things look like a “league” could be possible for Girona before January.

The last winter champion outside of Real Madrid and Barcelona

The dominance of the Madrid-Barca pair has been present for almost the entire 21st century, a harsh reality that marks the level of La Liga. So you have to go back a long way to find it Valencia FC in 2003-2004 As the last winter’s championoutside the two traditional ones.

In fact, the team itself Hello ended up lifting the trophy at the end of the campaign. A year earlier, in 2002-2003, this award went to Real Sociedad, although in the end it was Real Madrid who won the championship.

The winter champions without a title at the end

Since the establishment of the system we know today of three points per win (1995-1996), There were a few clubs that couldn’t keep up and eventually gave up. The list is as follows: