So, there’s now a familiar look to the top of La Liga.
After seven months in which Girona have proved to be the team of the season so far across the whole of Europe, they have finally slipped out of the top two.
Yet whatever happens during the final two months of the campaign, the La Liga 2024 highlights created by the underdogs from North Catalonia will live long in the memory.
The side, which have never finished higher than 10th and are only in its fourth season in the Spanish top-flight, have been nothing short of fabulous.
Never mind that they slipped to third after a 1-0 reverse at Getafe at the weekend, with Yellu Santiago scoring his first ever league goal to settle a game of few chances.
Never mind that the Catalans have won just two of their last seven league matches.
This is a club with a ground that holds only 14,624, some of them on scaffolding stands and have no right to be in the upper echelons of La Liga, let alone still being a good bet to reach the Champions League for the first time.
They are punching so far above their weight and deserve nothing but credit.
Remember, this is the side hailing from a city of 97,586 people, overshadowed by Barcelona 99 kilometres down the road, and a club which sold a number of its best players last summer, including Oriol Romeu (to Barcelona), top scorer Taty Castellanos, their best winger Rodrigo Riquelme and centre-back Santi Bueno.
Girona remain are six points ahead of Athletic Bilbao and seven ahead of Atletico Madrid, who slipped out of the top four with a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at home to Barcelona.
Just four days after both sides were involved in Champions League victories and then benefited from a potentially kind draw to boost their Euro hopes further, Atletico were brought crashing back to earth with a bump.
To add insult to injury for Diego Simeone’s side, an Atletico player on loan at Barcelona consigned his parent club to their first home loss in La Liga this term.
The forward rounded off a neat passing move in the 38th minute just before manager Xavi was sent off for dissent.
Barca made Atletico pay for their wastefulness in front of goal with Robert Lewandowski doubling their lead before Fermin Lopez sealed the success when he headed in from close range.
How the rules permit a player to play against the club where he is contracted is beyond me.
Moving on, the SBOTOP La Liga 2024 betting odds should arguably pay out on leaders Real Madrid who appear to be flexing their muscles with ease.
Los Blancos are on course for their second La Liga title under Carlo Ancelotti, who recorded his 200th win in all competitions with the club in Saturday night’s 4-2 success at Osasuna.
It’s already been confirmed that Kylian Mbappe will strengthen their ranks this summer but there’s no suggestion he will be the only arrival at the Bernabeu.
To further highlight the achievements of Girona, Real are keen to bring back Miguel Gutierrez.
The 22-year-old left the Spanish capital two summers ago for €4 million, but Real retained a 50-per cent sell-on fee and a buyback option.
Gutierrez has been in exceptional form this season for the surprise package.
If Real Madrid, Barcelona, Girona, Bilbao, or Atletico seem set to secure top five finishes, Real Sociedad appear favourites to edge out Real Betis and Valencia for the other guaranteed European spot that a sixth place finish brings.
At the bottom, it appears the bottom three are destined to finish as they are currently placed also.
Almeria are 13 points from safety after only just one league victory all season, with Granada only a further point ahead of them.
Credit to the bottom club, though, for finally breaking their duck at the weekend.
They landed in Gran Canaria carrying their infamous run of poor form with 28 league games without a win.
However, 29 proved to be the magic number for the visitors, in a fine result for neutrals. Leo Baptistao fired in early on and that proved to be the only goal of the contest at Las Palmas.
While they and Granada seem destined for the drop, Cadiz still have a fighting chance.
Celta Vigo are also involved in the battle to beat the drop but now may well have dragged Sevilla into the mix with the newly appointed coach Claudio Giraldez enjoying a debut win.
The pressure was clear as Celta scored twice in six second half minutes to win 2-1 at their fellow strugglers in Andalusia and home manager Quique Sanchez Flores was seen having a heated exchange with forward Youssef En-Nesyri, who reacted angrily to being substituted.
With Rayo Vallecano and Mallorca both winning at the weekend, it could well be that the Europa League holders find themselves in the bottom four if they do not find form soon.
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