Girona Beats Mallorca 5-3 to Take Provisional Lead of Spanish League

Girona's David López (R) celebrates after scoring the 1-1 equalizer goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Girona FC and RCD Mallorca in Girona, Spain, 23 September 2023. (EPA)
Girona's David López (R) celebrates after scoring the 1-1 equalizer goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Girona FC and RCD Mallorca in Girona, Spain, 23 September 2023. (EPA)
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Girona Beats Mallorca 5-3 to Take Provisional Lead of Spanish League

Girona's David López (R) celebrates after scoring the 1-1 equalizer goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Girona FC and RCD Mallorca in Girona, Spain, 23 September 2023. (EPA)
Girona's David López (R) celebrates after scoring the 1-1 equalizer goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Girona FC and RCD Mallorca in Girona, Spain, 23 September 2023. (EPA)

Girona routed Mallorca 5-3 to climb to the top of the Spanish league on Saturday ahead of other matches for this round.

Girona moved one point ahead of overnight leader Real Madrid, which visits Atletico Madrid on Sunday. Barcelona can pull level with Girona if it beats Celta Vigo at home later Saturday.

Under coach Míchel Sánchez, Girona is the revelation of the season so far. The modest team from Spain's northeastern Catalonia region has won five straight games since a season-opening draw with Real Sociedad.

After beating Granada 4-2 last round, it has now scored nine goals in its past two games.

“(Being leader) is anecdotal, we are happy for the victory. Winning five in a row in the first division is not at easy task,” Míchel said. “Even more important than the results is the sensation we have, knowing that we are competing well and have a clear idea of how we want to play.”

Mallorca went ahead early through a fourth-minute penalty converted by Vedat Muriqi. But Girona roared back with goals by David López, Artem Dovbyk, Iván Martín, Yangel Herrera and Sávio before substitute Ábdon Prats reduced the deficit for Mallorca with a late brace.

Also later Saturday, Sevilla visits Osasuna while Almeria hosts Valencia.



FIFA's Inaugural Club World Cup Set to Kick Off in the US Amid Challenges 

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 winners trophy is displayed in Times Square ahead of the tournament, in New York City, US, May 20, 2025. (Reuters)
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 winners trophy is displayed in Times Square ahead of the tournament, in New York City, US, May 20, 2025. (Reuters)
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FIFA's Inaugural Club World Cup Set to Kick Off in the US Amid Challenges 

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 winners trophy is displayed in Times Square ahead of the tournament, in New York City, US, May 20, 2025. (Reuters)
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 winners trophy is displayed in Times Square ahead of the tournament, in New York City, US, May 20, 2025. (Reuters)

FIFA's billion-dollar gamble to revolutionize club football begins a week on Sunday with plenty of cash up for grabs but questionable enthusiasm as 32 teams prepare to contest the expanded Club World Cup in 12 stadiums across the United States.

The tournament, designed as a glittering showcase ahead of the 2026 World Cup, has had to contend with the prospect of empty seats along with controversial qualification rules and player welfare concerns after an exhausting European season.

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami face Egypt's Al Ahly in the opening fixture on June 15 at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, with tickets still widely available days before kickoff.

A glance at FIFA's website shows lots of tickets available, including for the July 13 final at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium.

Messi's presence underscores the tournament's contentious foundations.

Inter Miami gained entry by topping Major League Soccer's regular season standings, despite losing in the first round of the playoffs, a decision critics say shows FIFA's desperation to have the Argentina great at their inaugural showpiece.

FIFA's decision to give the host nation a spot and award it to Inter Miami underlined the opaque nature of the qualifying criteria for the tournament, which won't feature Liverpool, Barcelona or Napoli who have all just been crowned champions of three of the most prestigious leagues in Europe.

Apart from the winners of each confederation's premier club competitions, teams qualified according to a ranking based on their performances over a four-year period.

There is also the case of Club Leon, the 2023 CONCACAF Champions Cup winners, who were excluded from the tournament just over a month ago due to having shared ownership with another qualifier. The spot has gone to MLS's Los Angeles FC.

RIGHTS DEAL

Nailing down a last-gasp $1 billion TV rights deal with sports streaming platform DAZN six months before the tournament means a total of $2 billion in expected revenues.

That led FIFA to announce a total prize pot of $1 billion, with the winning club to receive up to $125 million.

That figure represents 25% more than Paris St Germain earned from their entire 17-match Champions League campaign.

But this largesse has not quelled concerns about player welfare, with the global players union FIFPro taking legal action against FIFA over a tournament that further compresses the precious recovery time between grueling seasons.

Furthermore, there is still concern over the playing surfaces after last season's Copa America, when many headlines focused on the sub-par conditions and smaller pitch dimensions.

Those pitches, measuring 100 by 64 meters, were 740 square meters smaller than FIFA's standard size, prompting widespread discontent among players and coaches.

FIFA has given assurances that this time the NFL stadiums hosting the matches will meet their specifications, confirming that all venues will feature natural grass and adhere to the standard regulation dimensions of 105 by 68 meters.

Divided into eight groups of four teams, top contenders include Real Madrid, winners of six of the last 12 Champions League titles, plus German champions Bayern Munich and 2023 Premier League and Champions League winners Manchester City.

European champions Paris St Germain are the in-form team heading into the tournament after their historic 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan in the Champions League final on Saturday.

But they must survive a tough Group B featuring South American and Brazilian champions Botafogo and 2024 CONCACAF winners Seattle Sounders plus Spanish giants Atletico Madrid.

Whether you call it soccer or football, for FIFA the tournament represents a dress rehearsal and a referendum on America's appetite for the sport and on the world governing body's vision for its commercial future ahead of the 2026 World Cup being co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.