On Friday (19th April, 2024) there was a report coming out of Relevo that Pep Guardiola could leave Manchester City in 2025 along with Txiki Begiristain, one of the candidates to succeed as City manager was Míchel of Girona. You can find that report here.

So that got me thinking about providing an introduction into the Girona Manager, how his career has progressed and his tactical setup in La Liga this season. Give you idea of why he would be so highly rated internally at City and this links together nicely with a summer arrival, Savio.

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Who Is Míchel?

The first place to start with is the background of Miguel Ángel Sánchez Muñoz, known as Míchel. Spending twenty years as a professional footballer playing in La Liga and the Segunda Division, mostly with Rayo Vallecano as midfielder. Becoming captain and was a playing legend for them.

That quote is why you should want to watch Girona play and why he’s loved by the fans, because he always set’s his team up with the courage to attack and desire be the protagonist despite the lack of budget or quality of individual players. Of course that has it’s own downfall.

After he retired, Míchel went immediately into youth football with Rayo Vallecano spending five years with the club before he took the helm of the senior team in 2017. Eventually leading the team to promotion out of the Segunda Division. The following season when the team suffered several defeats in a row, being six points away from getting out of the relegation zone Míchel was sacked (March, 2019). Capable of getting his team promoted but not proving his team can stay in La Liga.

Next up for him was Huesca the following summer in 2019, who have been demoted to the Segunda Division and was tasked with bringing them back up. Again in the top position they returned to La Liga under Míchel. The following season we would see the same pattern occur though when the team was ranked last and Míchel sacked in January, 2021. Yet to crack the code on staying in La Liga.

Despite the second setback being so similar to the first job he had, Míchel stepped up again for Girona by signing a one year deal and he took them up to La Liga in the 2021/22 season through the playoff final. Also making the last 16 of the Copa del Rey where they lost to Rayo Vallecano. Third time lucky?

2022/23 season Míchel signs a contract extension in the summer and leads Girona to a 10th place finish during their first season in the league. Staying up this time around where he had previously failed, proving that his desire to set the team up as the protagonist can work. Leading Girona to some big wins including a win over Real Madrid (4-2) and the double over Athletic Bilbao (2-1, 2-3).

But was that season just an outlier?

Girona 23/24

Here is a dashboard for Girona this season which sees them leap up to third place, finishing tenth last season, having been level with Real Madrid in first place at the halfway point. Dovbyk is a very promising striker that provides them a finisher in the penalty box and a capable runner in transition. Savio on either wings is a threat to come inside and shoot or cross into the box. A. Garcia is a key player for them in midfield, tactically solving issues in/out of possession.

Within Spain, Girona are known for their smart moves that go beyond just being a CFG club. You’ll notice the low spend and that they pick up players that are either very promising talents or older players most don’t see value in anymore. Gazzaniga is their starting keeper now. Dovbyk as mentioned above is their top scorer. Yangel Herrera has played the 11th most minutes for the team this season. Ivan Martin is key player for them in midfield and has chipped in with important goals. Daley Blind as you’ll see later on has been important to how the team setup in possession, shifting around positions. Eric Garcia not famed by Manchester City fans but has played a significant role for Girona as well. Smart pickups by the Club that have been well-used by Míchel

Note that Girona also lost that summer Santiago Bueno to Wolves, their defender with the most minutes, and Oriol Romeu to Barcelona, their midfielder with the most minutes last season. Important players in the 22/23 season but Girona found a way past it under Míchel.

You’ll notice the style within La Liga and in comparison to other teams. Girona are slow in their buildup and careful to pick out the right passes. They will utilize some fast transitions when they are available but for the most part it’s short passing combinations they favor.

Girona have over performed their xG of 56.6 through the 67 goals scored this season so far. Dovbyk for example has an xG of 16.8 and scored 18 goals. Stuani an xG of 8.5 and scored 8 goals. So those two forwards are not making huge jumps this season over what’s expected. Savio is with his xG of 4.6 and 8 goals scored.

One concern would be the defense of Girona who have conceded 40 goals this season compared to the 22 of Real Madrid. As you’ll see in their aggressive attacking setup, they are left vulnerable. Partly why they are so entertaining to watch as a neutral. Conceding the most goals via transition in La Liga. Another part of that is just the quality of defenders available to Míchel in Eric Garcia, Daley Blind and David Lopez. Not remotely comparable to the players at Manchester City for example.

Girona Tactics - La Liga 23/24

In the buildup Girona do a few different things to throw off the opposition and open up passes in the half space. You’ll see a lot of 3-2-5 where the three central defenders and two midfielders are tasked with the buildup. Miguel G will join the front three which will either drop into the half space for a pass or run into it for one.

Aleix Garcia as I’ve mentioned before is their key midfielder who can drop into the back line with the defenders or sit in front. For progressing the ball in the first phase or pushing up into the final third. He glues it all together for Girona, setting the tempo and moving the team into attack.

Miguel Gutierrez pushing high into the front line and becoming more of an attacking midfielder has the most passes into the penalty area for Girona this season (49) tied with Savio. Third for key passes (36). 4th for GCA (11) and 3rd for SCA (67).

But playing it quickly from back to front is something Girona are happy to do with their front line of Savio, Dovbyk and Tsyhankov running in behind.

A key part of the Girona play is the asymmetrical approach in possession, on their right side focusing on short passing combinations to break through the opposition. Two midfielders shifting across to that side. Which then leaves Savio and Daley Blind free on the left side, isolated and ready for a switch.

Savio is at his best when isolated against his opposing FB and a number of Girona goals this season have started from here.

The aggressive attacking formation of Girona as I mentioned as a weakness for them with transitions also has it’s benefits in scoring goals. A 3-2-5 where either midfielder can push into the half space to form a triangle and get one player a free run into the box.

Here is just one example of how committing this many players around the opposition box has helped Girona score goals this season. Although he doesn’t score the goal, Dovbyk is always a presence in the penalty box for Girona.

Miguel has been mentioned throughout this piece and he’s been used in many ways to deal with different opposition. Whether that’s a deeper role against Getafe or around the penalty box against Granada. A very valuable tactical tool for Míchel.

Savio is another standout player for Girona, the team get him isolated against the FB and leave him to work. Capable of beating him to the byline and also coming inside to link up with Dovbyk which you’ll see in the clip below.

Savio has also played on the RW this season and shown no struggle with coming inside onto his left foot to finish.

And taking the opposition LB to the byline, beating him and finishing on his left foot. Both of these goals are very reminiscent of Riyad Mahrez.

One final point to cover is that Girona press high to force the opposition out wide so they can win the possession in a pack or force them to hit a ball over the top either from the goal kick or a player under pressure. Leaving 3-4 defenders back to win the aerial duel and a midfielder (A. Garcia) there to collect the ball from his defender and keep control.

That’s all for this newsletter, a quick introduction into Míchel and how he’s set up Girona to play this season. Having a lot of success early on, been found out more so in the second half of the season with the weaknesses discussed above but are set to finish in the Champions League spots next season.

Quite possible that Manchester City play against them, that’ll be when we learn a lot more about the level Míchel is at as a coach by dealing with European football and putting together another La Liga season towards the top half of the table.

If you enjoyed this and want me to do something similar on another coach and/or player then please let me know!

Other Links

• Coaches’ Voice article on Girona under Michel here.

• Why Girona are the most surprising team in world football by Jon Mackenzie here.

• Thom Harris (The Athletic) article on Michel as an upcoming manager in world football here.

• La Liga Stats 23/24 by Opta here.

• La Liga Stats 23/24 by FBREF here.

• Girona FC - All transfers here.

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