The good, the bad and the beautiful: A canonisation in Catalonia

A round-up of a few of La Liga’s most intriguing storylines throughout the week, traversing by means of the great, the unhealthy and one thing stunning.

The Good – Michel, the supervisor for each state of affairs

After going right into a nosedive that the majority assumed would lead to sure dying (in any other case generally known as relegation), Girona levelled out simply in time on the finish of final season. They did so on the again Uruguayan titan Cristhian Stuani, to whom the ball has a gravitational pull within the field, and all the time appears to give you a decisive aim.

But at first of this season, abdomen shaken by the high-wire acrobatics, Girona didn’t look the identical. If they’d shifted to a extra argicultural type with a view to save themselves, Els blanc-i-vermells sacrificed all sense of identification to take action. Michel Sanchez spoke with such pained disappointment one week, and such burning anger one other, that the singular level, singular strike, and 20 objectives conceded in Girona’s opening 5 video games weren’t probably the most worrying factor about them.

As if he wanted any extra cause to be canonised in Northern Catalonia, what Michel has heaved himself and his aspect out of is scarcely seen. Final weekend, Girona left the relegation zone for the primary time in 15 matchdays, going away to RCD Mallorca and successful 2-1. Jagoba Arrasate’s aspect have issues of their very own, that end result leaving the 2 degree on factors, however for context, had misplaced only one residence sport all season to Barcelona after happening to 9 gamers within the first half.

The narrative for his or her journey to the island had all of the hallmarks of a nasty match-up for Girona; a grizzled aspect, not involved with dominating the sport with the ball, one keen to lavatory the sport down and extra scrappers to win the floor-fight. Since Michel arrived, Girona have handled the ball nicely, and appeared to their most technical gamers to be the difference-makers. That they did towards Mallorca, however as Arrasate ship the air raids, Girona new the best way to battle, to launch the stress from the sport, to be as powerful as they’re good.

The temper of Michel, the ambiance on the membership, the limp performances – few managers come by means of such lows today. Out of the relegation zone for now, Michel’s aspect look safely away from the abyss in footballing phrases too, a miraculous feat 13 video games later.

The Unhealthy – Diego Simeone is getting homesick

Atletico Madrid got here up quick this week towards Actual Madrid within the Spanish Supercup, a sport the place the more and more well-known ‘contundencia’ [effectiveness] performed a starring position of their downfall. Shedding a slim sport to Actual Madrid in Saudi Arabia is bitter however not as a lot of an issue as their efficiency towards Actual Sociedad on Sunday night time. In Jeddah, Atletico did all of the issues they have been responsible of missing in Donostia-San Sebastian.

There too, a extra deadly Julian Alvarez or Conor Gallagher will get Atleti out of dodge, however because it was, they slumped to a 1-1 draw towards a Fifteenth-placed Actual Sociedad way more wanting finishers than Simeone is. It takes their win proportion in La Liga down to simply 30% from their 10 away video games.

Diego Simeone: “There are days after we can say ‘we didn’t play nicely, we didn’t create possibilities…’. In the present day it was the alternative, however we’re out sadly.” pic.twitter.com/gxKZctZFIb

— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) January 8, 2026

Have been they performing nicely, then the villain of the piece, contundencia, could possibly be caught, and their issues solved. La Actual appeared like a aspect with extra sources, extra verve and extra expertise although. Just like the Txuri-Urdin, Alaves, Celta Vigo and RCD Mallorca all felt unlucky to not have crushed Atletico, and once you’re hanging on towards the underside half of the desk frequently, contundencia is however one of many evils that lurk past the extremities of the Line 7 metro.

The Stunning – The neatest play piece of goalkeeping this season?

Slim odds you may need had on this part paying tribute to the goalkeepers union twice in a row, but it was heresy to not give the highlight to Joan Garcia this week. His flying reactions to tip Pere Milla’s header over have been extremely spectacular. Holding his nerve, and daring Roberto Fernandez to spherical him, that was wonderful timing to outmanoeuver a teammate he had confronted a whole bunch of instances in coaching.

The piece de resistance is the save he didn’t make although. Former fundamental character Mateu Lahoz known as it unsportsmanlike conduct, a crimson card offence, an extra signal that some officers are philosophically against leisure. However when Garcia, in scorching pursuit of a rebound from a primary save, realised he couldn’t get to the ball in time, he got here up with an answer. Shoving Gerard Martin to the ground, the panic on Martin’s face was a portrait, however the end result was that he obtained shut sufficient to smother Milla’s follow-up. Mission achieved for Joan Garcia.

Joan Garcia sacrificed Gerard Martin to make the save😭 pic.twitter.com/OAE1f1tIlp

— Berneese (@theberneese) January 3, 2026

If we’re soften for the x-ray imaginative and prescient of a midfielder, the unflappable defenders, and the ice-cold finishers, agent Joan Garcia deserves simply as a lot credit score for a piece of outstanding intelligence.