Machín’s Girona Legacy Meets Barca: A Tactical Preview of La Liga's Local Derby

Machín, Girona, and the ascent from relegation to La Liga

Spanish coach Pablo Machín stands out as one of Girona's most influential figures, leaving a lasting imprint on the club, alongside notable stints in the UAE and Saudi leagues.

Born in the Spanish city of Soria in 1975, he began his coaching career with Girona in March 2014, when the club fought to stay in the second division.

Thanks to his tactical vision and a defense built around three central backs with dynamic full-backs, he saved Girona from relegation in his early years, then steered them upward to a historic 2016-2017 campaign that saw Girona reach La Liga for the first time.

During Girona's first La Liga season, Machín delivered standout football despite limited resources, carving a clear tactical footprint that drew attention from bigger clubs.

By the end of 2017-2018, he left Girona after guiding them in 189 official matches, recording 84 wins, 48 draws, and 57 defeats, etching his name among the club's historic architects of its Catalan rise.

Barcelona hosts Girona at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium tonight, in a late-round clash of the 2025-26 La Liga season.

Barcelona had lost their previous two matches across all competitions before the international break, leaving Real Madrid atop the table, though a win could temporarily restore Barca's place at the summit.

Girona are struggling this season, with only one win and sitting in the relegation zone.

Locally, Barca started the campaign strongly before suffering a major setback. After seven winless fixtures, the setback came in round eight when they were beaten 4-1 by Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, a game exposing defensive frailty and raising questions about physical readiness.

Barcelona currently own 19 points from eight matches, with wins at home against Valencia, Getafe, and Real Sociedad, and three away wins at Mallorca, Levante, and Real Oviedo, while drawing with Rayo Vallecano and suffering a single defeat to Sevilla.

With these results, Barca slipped to second as Real Madrid jumped to the top with 21 points.

Barcelona-Girona Preview and the La Liga Battle

Pablo Machín, in an exclusive interview with Kooora, shared his views on the Barca-Girona clash, the title race this season, and the controversy over a Barcelona-Real Madrid match scheduled in Miami.

Asked about the Barcelona game, Machín replied: It is a local regional derby… Girona knows well how to secure positive results at Barcelona's ground, even though it’s a relatively young club in the top flight.

Additionally: For Catalan clubs, this match is a special event that could become a true football celebration, yet Barca remains the odds-on favorite to win this encounter.

On Girona's slow start this season, the Spaniard said: I believe the main reason is that the squad’s signings arrived late, and the newcomers haven’t adapted to the coach's system yet.

He continued: When the start isn’t good, doubts creep in and it becomes harder for new players to gel with the group, reflecting in the results.

Commenting on Barca’s injuries as a potential advantage for Girona, he said: maybe some injured players will be able to make it, but even if they miss, Barca has a wonderful squad—players of the highest level who could fit in any other team.

Machín added: When asked to field second-string players, they perform exceptionally well. Still, Barca's injuries would be welcomed by Girona, offering them a glimmer of a positive result.

On the title race, Machín said: I believe the trophy will again rest with the two giants this year. Direct battles between Real Madrid and Barcelona will be decisive in crowning the champion.

Regarding the Miami match protests, he said: These decisions by the Spanish League aim to expand football's global reach.

Moreover: The players are bound by contracts with their clubs, which decide participation in such matches. It’s certainly not an everyday move, but one of football’s modern phenomena; I’m sure the players' association will consider this when negotiating their future terms.

Punchline time: If Machín’s tactics were a sniper, they’d never miss—three points guaranteed and the opposition left checking the net for a reload.
Punchline 2: Girona’s defense is so tight, even the ball forgets how to escape it—sniper-level, folks, sniper-level humor.