The Spanish LaLiga has witnessed three teams winning the league in the last few seasons. Real Madrid and Barcelona are Spain’s most successful clubs, and Simeone’s Atletico Madrid joined them in recent years. Whenever we talk about the top three standings in the league, these three names are primarily present. However, there are a few other teams that are capable enough to beat these giants.
This season, the league has a surprise leader after the completion of the first seven rounds. Girona, who were promoted to the first division last season, are sitting at the top of the LaLiga 2023-24 table and are still unbeaten in the league. They lead the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid. There are a few key elements that have contributed to the team’s success. Here is a look at some of the stats that show the reason behind this early success.
Lethal in front of the goal
Girona started the season with a draw and then won six games in a row. The biggest reason why they are leading the charts is because of the goal-scoring ability of the players. They are the joint-highest goal scorers in the league, with 18 in seven games. The team averages 2.57 goals per match.
Averaging 11.3 shots per match, Girona players have taken 79 shot attempts, with 48.1% of them hitting the target. The team has been excellent at finding spaces inside the penalty box and converting most of the chances from inside the six-yard box. Girona have defeated the likes of Sevilla and Villareal this season and earned a well-fought draw against Real Sociedad. Their high xG rate of 1.96 is one of the reasons behind this success.
When it comes to creativity, Girona players have been up to the mark. The above viz shows that limited shot assist opportunities have been created, with most coming from short passes attempted from inside the penalty box. Overall, the team averages 434 passes, and the accuracy rate is decent at 87.1%.
By looking at the penetration carried by the team, it can be observed that Girona attacks from both sides of the field. They are very direct with their plays and have made 155 box penetration carries in LaLiga 2023-24. These carries are in the form of progressive runs and passes attempted into the opposition penalty box.
The crossing accuracy of the team is also decent, at 43.4%. High accuracy is recorded from the right side of the field, but more threat has been recorded from the left side. Most of these crosses have landed in the six-yard box and created scoring chances.
Goal prevention
Girona have leaked eight goals in the first seven games and kept two clean sheets. The team faces 14 shots per match, and the opposition has managed to hit the target 31.6% of the time. The goalkeeper has made quite remarkable saves and kept his side at the top of the table.
Michel’s men are heading to another top-half finish this season. The team looks settled and can create an upset anytime on the field. These are still early days, but having such a good record and unbeaten start surely guarantees safety and a good finish at the end of the season.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
