This is Girona

A Guardiola sets the tone for Sturm’s opponents

Last year, Girona were the big sensation in Spain's La Liga, finishing third.(Bild: REUTERS)

The next international heavyweight is rolling towards Sturm from Spain! With a transfer value of 216.50 million, the squad of Girona (from the city of 102,000 inhabitants 100 kilometers northeast of Barcelona) surpasses the Blackies threefold.

Before things get serious for Sturm on Wednesday, the "Krone" spoke to someone who has already faced Girona once. Hartberg's Malian legionnaire Youba Diarra played against the sensational side last season with Cadiz. "Girona are a very, very good team. They play soccer. No long balls. The strikers have to be very aggressive and always ready. They have so much quality. They were third last season. Sturm have to be very careful there."

Girona coach Michel was named the best coach of the past Spanish La Liga season.(Bild: EPA)

With Girona's experienced multicultural squad, it's more about the collective than star players: "But Daley Blind, the Dutch central defender, is well known. He's the boss." Ukraine striker Viktor Tsygankov is the most expensive man in the squad, the Uruguayan Cristihan Stuani is the captain and top scorer, the Venezuelan Yangel Herrera (who was injured in the team against Brazil), who came from Manchester City, sets the pace in midfield and, like Donny van de Beek, exudes a lot of goal threat.

The 49-year-old Madrid-born coach, who has been in charge since June 2021, is not quite as well known internationally. Diarra: "But Michel is a very good coach." He was a player at Rayo Vallecano, but not at the same time as Toni Polster. The fans at Girona's Montilivi Stadium (100 kilometers northeast of Barcelona) have also impressed Youba: "In Spain, all the clubs in La Liga have really good fans." However, many will not be accompanying Girona to Klagenfurt.

This is Sturm's opponent Girona:

Founded: 1930

Average age: 27.4 years

Legionnaires: 13

A-team players: 6

Most expensive player: Viktor Tsygankov (30 million euros market value)

Total market value: 216.5 million euros

In Spain's top division for: 3 years

Coach: Miguel Ángel Sánchez Muñoz, "Michel", since 2021

One of the club's owners has a well-known name: Pere Guardiola is the younger brother of Manchester City coach Pep. "He has the same footballing philosophy, tiki-taka!" recalls Diarra. The 48-year-old has been CEO since 2020.

Girona owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (left) is a member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi and is on a first-name basis with the likes of Jordan's king (right).(Bild: AFP)

The second owner is Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, a 54-year-old member of the billionaire ruling family from Abu Dhabi, which owns nine other clubs worldwide in addition to Manchester City through the CITY Group: Troyes (Fr), Lommel (Bel), Jiuniu (Chn), Torque (Uru), Yokohama (Jp), Melbourne Heart (Aus), Al Jazira (UAE) and New York City FC (US).