Liverpool are set for a return to action on Tuesday following Storm Darragh preventing the 245th Merseyside Derby from going ahead at the weekend, with a rescheduled date still yet to be announced. The Reds are in Catalonia to face Spanish side, Girona, on Matchday Six of the League Phase in the UEFA Champions League.
Arne Slot’s men visit the Estadi Montilivi having collected maximum points on their European adventure so far and will be hoping to continue their fine form this evening.
This game will come as the first-ever meeting between Liverpool and Girona. Girona have never faced an English club before, whilst they will become the thirteenth Spanish opposition that the Reds have faced in Europe.
Last season was the club’s highest-ever league finish of third place, becoming the best of the rest behind Barcelona and Real Madrid, but how did a relatively unknown Spanish side achieve this?
Ahead of the game, we have decided to take a closer look into the opposition and their meteoric rise from the Spanish third division to the Champions League.
Girona FC are a Catalonian side based in Spain. They currently play their football in the first division of Spanish football, La Liga, and returned to the top-tier at the beginning of 2022-23, following two previous disappointments in the Segunda Division play-offs.
In 2017, an agreement was made for the City Football Group, which is an investment portfolio of ‘global footballing interests’ for Manchester City owners, to hire a stake in the club. The CFG, own 47% in Girona whilst Pep Guardiola’s brother, Pere, is the club chairman.
Upon the acquisition, a statement from Girona read:
“The operation will allow Girona FC to benefit from the knowledge and proven experience of the City Football Group, as well as its extensive network of infrastructures, technical teams, collection of talent, young player development and executive leadership along with its global media, marketing and the commercial potential of the group.”
Girona are only one of thirteen sides to be linked to the City Football Group.
Manchester City, Lommel SK, ESTAC Troyes, Palermo, New York City FC, CA Torque, Bahia, Club Bolivar, Melbourne City FC, Yokohoma F.Marinos, Shenzhen Peng City FC and Mumbai City FC.
Before the takeover, the Blanquivermells (White and Reds) were languishing as far as the third tier of Spanish football, only returning to the second division in 2008, following a 49-year absence, and have only ever had four experiences of the top-flight.
Now, Girona are here to stay having maintained their position at Spain’s top-table for two consecutive campaigns, and are now halfway into their third.
This season, Girona are currently sat in ninth after sixteen matches, with six wins, four draws and six defeats, leaving them comfortably adrift of relegation by nine points.
As for their debut season in the UEFA Champions League, Michel’s side are facing an uphill battle.
Defeats to Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven and Sturmz Graz along with just one win over Slovan Bratislava, has seen them place 30th out of 36th in the current league phase, just three points below a potential play-off position but the fixtures do not get any easier.
Following tonight’s fixture with Liverpool, Girona will travel to the San Siro to face AC Milan before concluding the new European format at home to Arsenal, in January.
All eyes will be on the Estadi Montilivi come 5:45 GMT. A sixth-successive victory for Liverpool in Europe would almost certainly guarantee a place in the last-16 of the Champions League, without the complications of a dreaded play-off tie.
Want to get the latest Liverpool news direct to your phone? Join our WhatsApp community by clicking here.