Handkerchiefs, false promises, and VIP tents: the conflict between Girona and its fans

GIRONACoinciding with the final league match, Girona planned an end-of-season celebration for members and fans of the club to celebrate Míchel's team's continued survival. The initial plan included vermouth, lunch, a small concert, a farewell party for the team, and, for those who hadn't had enough, a party outside the stadium. But it backfired. The angry crowd wasn't in the mood for revelry.

The players walked onto the pitch, and at Montilivi, practically no one remained. They took a lap of honor, greeting the few hundred who had been waiting for them. Speeches were canceled. In the group photos, the stands in the background were empty. The image was sad and representative of the conflict between the club's membership and those in power. Fan discontent is at its highest point in recent times.

"The gap between the club and its members is more serious than this season's sporting results. Honest reflection and self-criticism are necessary," tweeted former president Francesc Rebled. It wasn't an easy season, nor was Sunday, scheduled for 2 p.m. in a scorching 30-degree heat. The Girona-Atlètic match was stopped twice to attend to medical emergencies among the spectators, but more were affected: a large number of fainting spells and dehydration due to heat exhaustion, which even led to some being taken to the hospital. The medical staff had their hands full, and some commented that it was the toughest match in years. The Federation of Supporters Clubs issued a statement stating: "The fans are fed up with LaLiga's lack of sensitivity towards the fans. We want schedules that are meaningful and respectful."

The fans' annoyance with Girona stemmed from the discomfort they felt in their own stadium, with half-hour lines for water, hot and, if available, in the bars; and lines for the restrooms where they tried to cool off; aspects on which the club, when questioned, acknowledges its error, saying it cannot happen again. But the point has been reached where the fans no longer want words; they want actions. The club has been promising improvements and construction since 2017, but they haven't arrived. The facilities are outdated and barely changed, although investments have been made in this time for more fish markets and tents. VIP. The member, whose quota increases every season, feels sidelined, like an extra in the scenery. And he's had enough.

He's already dedicated a period handkerchief to the owners for the Champions League ticket prices, and he's also stopped attending Montilivi as often as before, with almost a thousand fewer spectators per match on average. In fact, he didn't sell out tickets in Europe, and even less so for the trips to Klagenfurt and Eindhoven, where there was barely any demand; aspects he should also evaluate, given this is a historic event. All of this has caused the gap between them to become greater than ever.

"There's no transparency"

Cristóbal Sánchez, spokesperson for the Federation of Supporters' Clubs, explains: "The relationship with the fans is very poor. Girona has virtues, but none of them is empathy. Everyone tells us the same thing: they feel like they're not being listened to." Since this feeling has existed for some time, any incident now irritates three times more than under normal conditions.

"People don't ask for anything extraordinary; they just want to feel loved and truly taken into account. In fact, I think if Girona explained themselves, we would understand, but since there's no transparency, it seems like they're hiding things. It's very important to take care of these details, and here we don't have it, we don't have it, we don't have it, and here we don't have it. And this year they haven't lived up to expectations. But if one side isn't delivering, it's difficult to ask for anything. I don't think it's right to say that the fans have backed down, but on Sunday they exploded."