CFG-owned Girona relegated from La Liga, two years on from Champions League qualification

Girona have been relegated from La Liga on the final day of the season just 16 months on from playing in the Champions League.

The City Football Group-owned club drew 1-1 with Elche on Saturday to finish second from bottom in the Spanish top flight, with the point for their opponents enough for them to survive the drop.

CFG — the parent company of Manchester City — has a 47 per cent stake in Girona, having first invested in the club in the summer of 2017. Pere Guardiola, brother of outgoing Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, is the Girona chairman.

Girona headed into the final round of league fixtures in 18th, La Liga’s final relegation place, two points behind Elche in 17th. Osasuna and Levante were also two points ahead of the Catalan club in 16th and 15th respectively.

Alvaro Rodriguez put Elche ahead in the 38th minute at Estadi Montilivi on Saturday with a remarkable piece of individual skill, performing two keepy-uppies before spinning and sending a half-volley into the top corner.

Arnau Martinez levelled the scores early in second half, finishing from close range, but it was not enough and Girona were consigned to the second tier alongside Mallorca, despite their  3-0 win over already relegated Real Oviedo.

Girona won promotion to La Liga for the first time in their history in 2017 and were relegated two years later, before returning to the top flight in 2022. The Catalan club qualified for the Champions League for their first time in 2024 after finishing third in La Liga, having led the division until December.

However, they finished 16th the following season and have been in a relegation fight for much of the 2025-26 campaign. They had to wait until October 4 for their first La Liga win of the season, and while a run of four wins in five across December and January lifted them out of the relegation places, they finished the season without a win in their final eight league games.