Girona have been relegated from LaLiga just one year after appearing in the Champions League, a dramatic fall from grace completed on the final day of the season as players were left in tears after a 1-1 draw with Elche.
Relegation confirmed amid final‑day chaos
Seven teams began Saturday still at risk of the drop, with Girona starting the day in 18th place, two points adrift of opponents Elche in 17th and only three behind Sevilla in 13th. Alvaro Rodriguez put Elche ahead with a stunning first‑half strike, but Arnau Martinez levelled early in the second period. Girona could not find a winner, and as Mallorca beat already‑relegated Real Oviedo 3-0, the Catalan side slipped to 19th. They finished level on points with Osasuna and Levante but were condemned by the head‑to‑head record. Several Girona players were visibly distraught at full time.
Van de Beek’s injury‑ravaged campaign
The relegation is a major blow to Donny van de Beek, who joined Girona ahead of the 2024-25 season after a difficult four‑year spell at Manchester United. The 29‑year‑old Dutchman moved to Old Trafford from Ajax for an initial £35 million in 2020 but made only 62 appearances for the Red Devils. His time at Girona has been wrecked by injury: he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in September 2025, requiring surgery and an estimated six‑month rehabilitation. That followed a history of heel and knee problems, including a knee injury in January 2023 that ended his season at United. Van de Beek managed only two LaLiga appearances this season, scoring no goals. He returned to the matchday squad for the final two games of the campaign but was an unused substitute on both occasions.
A spectacular rise and fall
Girona’s relegation caps a dizzying cycle of highs and lows. The club, owned by City Football Group (CFG) – which holds a 47 % stake acquired in 2017 – only won promotion to LaLiga for the first time in their history in 2017, only to be relegated two years later. They bounced back in 2022 and, under manager Michel – the same man who took them up – finished third in the 2023-24 season, topping the table for a lengthy period to secure a historic Champions League berth. That European campaign, however, yielded just three points from eight group games and took a toll on domestic form, with Girona finishing 16th last season. They were unable to recover, hovering around the relegation places throughout the current campaign, yet the club kept faith with Michel.
Girona’s squad was packed with high‑profile names, many of whom were themselves hampered by injury. Alongside Van de Beek, the dressing‑room included former Premier League players Daley Blind, Bryan Gil and Paulo Gazzaniga, as well as Manchester City loanees Vitor Reis and Claudio Echeverri, and Champions League stalwarts Axel Witsel, Thomas Lemar and Marc‑André ter Stegen. Ter Stegen joined on loan from Barcelona in January 2026, but a hamstring injury in his second appearance required surgery and a four‑month recovery, putting his participation in the 2026 World Cup at risk. Blind has been a consistent presence, making 31 LaLiga appearances this season with six clean sheets. Gazzaniga made 34 appearances, conceding 46 goals and keeping six clean sheets. Gil contributed three assists in 28 appearances, but an injury at the end of March ended his season early. The club’s ownership structure – with Pere Guardiola, brother of Pep, as chairman and a significant stakeholder through his Girona Football Group – had already drawn scrutiny over UEFA’s multi‑club ownership rules when both Girona and Manchester City qualified for the 2024-25 Champions League. CFG adjusted its shareholding to comply.
The relegation means Girona return to the second tier for the first time since 2022, a year after they were playing on Europe’s biggest stage.
