Girona FC
File:For article Girona FC.svg | ||||
Full name | Girona Futbol Club, S.A.D. | |||
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Nickname(s) | Blanquivermell (White and Reds), Gironistes | |||
Founded | 23 July 1930 | |||
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 | |||
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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
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- 1 season in La Liga
- 21 seasons in Segunda División
- 13 seasons in Segunda División B
- 44 seasons in Tercera División
- 3 seasons in Categorías Regionales
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.
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Reserve team
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Personnel
Name | Position | Appointed |
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Eusebio Sacristán | Manager | 2018 |
Omar Harrak | Goalkeeping coach | 2014 |
Francesc Rebled Sarra | President | - |
Managers
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See also
References
- ^ "Historia" [History] (in Spanish). Girona's official website. Archived from the original on 4 December 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "El Girona entona el alirón" [Girona sings "We are the champions"] (PDF) (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 16 June 2008. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Cesado por sus malos resultados deportivos" [Fired for poor sporting results] (in Spanish). Huelva Ya. 14 January 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2017/06/05/girona-promoted-la-liga-first-time-87-years
- ^ "Girona FC, acquired by new investors" (in Catalan). Girona FC. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- ^ https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/oct/29/real-madrid-shock-defeat-girona-catalan-club-football
- ^ http://www.eurosport.com/football/liga/2017-2018/girona-v-real-madrid-live_sto6383913/story.shtml
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Primer equipo" [First team] (in Spanish). Girona FC. Retrieved 3 July 2017.