Girona, the surprise package of the Spanish league, reclaimed the top spot with a 1-0 win over Celta Vigo on Sunday.
The Catalan club, who are in their fourth season in the top flight, have defied expectations and are now one point ahead of Real Madrid, although they have played one more game.
The only goal of the match came in the 20th minute, when Portu received a pass from Miguel Gutierrez and slotted the ball past Celta goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.
Girona had several chances to extend their lead, but were denied by Guaita or the woodwork. Celta, who are struggling near the bottom of the table, rarely threatened Girona’s Paulo Gazzaniga, who made a couple of saves to keep a clean sheet.
Girona’s remarkable run has been led by coach Michel Sanchez, who took over in 2022 after the team finished 10th in the previous season.
He has built a balanced and cohesive squad, with a mix of experienced players and young talents.
The star of the team is Artem Dovbyk, the Ukrainian striker who is the joint top scorer of La Liga with 14 goals, along with Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham.
Girona have also shown resilience and character, bouncing back from their elimination in the Copa del Rey by second division side Almeria in midweek.
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They have beaten some of the big teams in the league, such as Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla, and have lost only three games so far.
Girona’s players and staff have been modest and cautious about their title chances, saying that their main objective is to qualify for Europe.
However, with 17 games left, they have a realistic shot at making history and becoming the first team outside the traditional big three of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid to win La Liga since Valencia in 2004.