Girona's excellent run of form puts them back on top of La Liga

A Catalan team is top of La Liga, but for once it's not FC Barcelona. 

With 11 wins in their last 12 games in all competitions, Girona sit at the summit of the table, going two points clear of Real Madrid this weekend after their 2-4 win away to Osasuna, coupled with Madrid's 0-0 draw at home to Rayo Vallecano. 

The north Catalan outfit were promoted to the top division for the first time in 2017 and are currently contesting only their fourth campaign in the top flight. 

In September, after beating Villarreal, Girona went top of the table for the first time in their history, but Real Madrid quickly overtook them in top spot the following matchday when they beat Girona 0-3 in Montilivi. 

Yet, the Catalans have since recovered their excellent run of form and have won every game since then which has seen them return to first place.

Manager Míchel didn't want to get too carried away with the fine result over the weekend, and reiterated that winning the league is not the objective for his team this season. 

"Our league is not Real Madrid, Barça or Atlético de Madrid," he told reporters in the press conference following the win away to Osasuna. "But we'll fight to be in the league of those behind them. I dream about being in the league with Real Sociedad, Athletic, Rayo, fighting at the top."

Girona's budget is only around €52 million – far below Real Madrid's €727 million, while there are only six clubs who have limits of less than €50 million – meaning avoiding relegation is the main objective for the season.

But with such a strong start and with so many points accumulated already, Míchel admits it's time to reevaluate those objectives. 

"Taking away the big three, I dream of being between fourth and sixth place, knowing the difficulty it entails and the pressure I put on myself and the club," he explained following the victory in Pamplona. "We have 31 points and avoiding relegation is very close, now. We have to look one step further."

The magnificent work being done by Míchel in the dugout of Girona is only all the more impressive when considering that the manager lost so much of the spine of the team that performed so well last campaign when Girona finished 10th, just four points off qualifying for Europe. 

Midfielder Oriol Romeu went to Barcelona for €3.5 million, while last season's top scorer, Taty Castellanos, most electric winger, Riquelme, and sturdy center-back Santi Bueno all departed in the summer. 

They have more points than any other side in Europe's top leagues, and they've scored more goals than anyone else in Spain, England, Italy, and France. 

Girona are partly owned by City Football Group, the multi-club ownership model of Manchester City. In 2017, City Football Group and a company led by Pep Guardiola's brother Pere, Girona Football Group, each acquired 44.3% of the club. 

Despite this, the team are not stacked with talent from the current European champions, although some players have come and gone in past years from and to other clubs within the same structure. The club president, Delfí Geli, has been at the helm since 2015, having seen two promotions to La Liga and one relegation in between.  

Currently, 12 points separate Girona and Real Sociedad in 7th place – usually the final league position that can qualify for Europe. With such a gap already built, and the tremendous performances from this team this season, there's no stopping Girona from achieving something historic this year.