Why Girona sit atop La Liga ahead of Real Madrid showdown

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Girona’s ceiling this season was expected to be another mediocre finish in the Spanish league. But after six straight wins and an undefeated start, the small club from Spain’s northeastern corner surprisingly sits at the top of the standings.

Next up? Nothing less than a visit by Real Madrid on Saturday.

“We have to enjoy this moment. The game against Madrid will be precious,” Girona coach Michel Sanchez said after his team became the leader of Spain’s top league for the first time following a 2-1 comeback at Villarreal on Wednesday.

Girona, which leads Madrid by one point and Barcelona by two, has only dropped points when it drew 1-1 at Real Sociedad in its opening match. Since then, the team that is partly controlled by Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi ownership has also beaten Getafe, Sevilla, Las Palmas, Granada and Mallorca.

Girona was taken over by Abu Dhabi ownership in 2017 when it bought a 44.3% share in the Catalan club. Pere Guardiola, the b

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