The two legends that Girona could lose in ninety days

GironaEverything has an end, in life. Two of the most important figures in Girona's history, protagonists of the current sporting boom it is experiencing, in which it has strung together four consecutive seasons in the First Division and has real arguments to secure a fifth, have contracts ending in June and their continuity at Montilivi is not clear. Míchel Sánchez and Cristhian Stuani have ninety days to decide their future.

The path of the Vallecas coach to Girona has been full of joys: he took the team to the Second Division, promoted them, has never relegated them, and even qualified them for the Champions League. Míchel is the key player for the sporting director, Quique Cárcel, who does not understand the project without him. For now, at Montilivi there is no plan B: it is Míchel or Míchel. However, the Madrid native, despite constantly acknowledging that he is "happy" at Montilivi, sends ambiguous messages because he does not hide that he feels "prepared" to take a step forward in his career and make the leap to a club higher than the Girona one, as he recently stated.

"Now I see myself prepared to coach any club, including Manchester City. Obviously, the context is not the same, but I want to experience it," he said a few days ago on the podcast La Otra Grada, a fact that forced him to qualify his words in a press conference. "When I'm older, I'll have time to coach a top team like Girona. What worries me is staying in the First Division." Míchel also made it clear that "we haven't talked about a renewal, staying up is the priority. We all have our focus there."

The coach's message, far from being reassuring, opens the door to concern, because the day Míchel leaves the Girona bench, the emotional shock will be significant. For the club, there is no debate. And the proof is that they have kept him in charge during his worst moments. There are many who claim that in any other place Míchel would not have survived the slump the team experienced between the end of last season and the beginning of this one. Last year, the collapse was by a whisker, and currently, where they spent the first five months of the competition in the relegation zone, even the most loyal expressed their doubts. "When we reach 42 points, we'll talk about whatever you want, because I'm here to speak from the heart," he ended up telling journalists, to temporarily put an end to the issue.

Stuani's will

The other topic of conversation revolves around Cristhian Stuani, who has turned thirty-nine and in recent months has not had much participation due to chaining different physical problems that do not leave him in peace. If Míchel's era is pure fantasy, the Uruguayan has become the symbol of these years, because he did not abandon the ship when the darkness arrived: he did have to spend three years in the mud after two initial seasons in the First Division, to go up again and parade the club's name through Europe.

Stuani is Girona's top scorer, with 146 goals in over 300 matches and nine seasons. He has signed one more optional year, depending on his performance, but at the moment he does not know if he will fulfill it. If Míchel's future practically depends on Míchel, Stuani's will depend on Girona, because his will is firm: he does not want to leave Montilivi and has publicly expressed his desire to retire at the entity. “It would be a dream, I don't think there is a better place to say goodbye. I have a very strong commitment and feeling towards the club”.

Míchel and Stuani head the list of pending tasks for a sporting director who will have work to do this summer. Up to ten more players, almost half the squad, have contracts or loans ending: Blind, Witsel, Ter Stegen, Juan Carlos, David López, Rubén Blanco, Lemar, Rincón, Echeverri and Vitor Reis. Some also have an extra year in question, as is the case with Witsel, one of the footballers who could close his renewal soon.