Girona v Castellón, an unexpected reunion at Montilivi | OneFootball

On the fourth of May 2024, Castellón had promotion to Segunda within reach, while that same afternoon Girona beat Barcelona 4-2 to stride towards the Champions League. On Saturday at 18.30, they reunite at Montilivi in Segunda.

According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, the reunion owes less to Castellón's steady rise under president Haralabos Voulgaris than to Girona's shock relegation last season after brushing Champions League heights. Backed by City Football Group, Girona and Real Mallorca are surely the favourites to win Segunda and return quickly.

Relegation triggered departures, yet Girona have retained top-tier quality, especially in attack. Yaser Asprilla is the division's top scorer with four in four despite only one start, and Christian Stuani scored a hat-trick against Castellón with Albacete in 2009. They also boast Bryan Gil, Portu, Vanat, Carles Pérez and Abel Ruiz.

Former Villarreal player Quique Álvarez has stepped up from the B team. After a draw with Leganés and defeat in Córdoba, Girona hit back by thrashing Las Palmas 5-2 then winning 0-2 at Sporting. The market's closure seems to have helped.

Castellón, current leaders, last visited Montilivi in 2020/21, when Girona were promotion favourites and later lost the play-off final to Rayo Vallecano, while the albinegros went down. Girona won that meeting 2-1. In Segunda, Castellón's five other trips brought three defeats and two wins, in 1940, 0-1, and 1948, 2-3, the latter via a Mamblona treble.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”