GIRONAGirona entered Tenerife South Airport in the morning. There was no room for silence in that space, because, in fact, the party had already begun on the grass of a stadium that will be part of the collective imagination as the field in which Michel’s team made peace with himself. “Only we know how bad we’ve been all this time,” he felt. And it is true, because until this Sunday the tears meant sadness. But this is over: the city is weeping for an insurmountable June 19.
“Where is the stage?”, The footballers sang in the locker room and later on the plane, referring to the fact that in Tenerife they practically took their promotion for granted, because they had everything ready. He lost count of the hugs that were taking place, between players, managers, relatives, partners and anyone who passed by. Nobody wanted to miss it: neither did Marcelo Claure and Pere Guardiola, two of the shareholders. For three years they had been waiting to open bottles and live what the others had experienced so far. Too much time, especially for the merits made during the journey. An aspect that they do not forget, although the memory currently has an expiration date. That there is none for Juanpe and Borja García, who can say out loud that they are the only footballers who have taken part in all the promotions to the elite in the history of the club. “The word resilience it should be next to the shield, “they said. As the slogan on the commemorative T-shirt says,” some stubborn Primera. “
Whole generations fill the streets of the city accompanying Girona and Bàsquet Girona in an unforgettable parade. Who would have thought that they would not only be able to climb or do it in the same season, two feats that alone must be immortalized, but to celebrate a double ascent on the same day, in a very short margin of hours. They couldn’t celebrate it separately, because something like that will most likely never happen again. The event started and ended in Montilivi, passing by Fontajau and the Town Hall. But he actually moved to every street, square, and avenue. It is lived inside by some fans who at the moment feel the luckiest in the world and who already took over the streets on Sunday night, when they went out en masse and occupied the Plaça del Vi.
Emotional speeches
50 Girona fans showed up at the airport at 6 in the morning to receive the Míchel team, excited by the displays of love and the songs of “Míchel català”. The coach highlighted the work of his assistants – he went to the next press conference with all of them – dedicating some beautiful words to them: “Together we can do everything, I knew this would be our year”. In the procession, the charisma did the rest: “Girona falls in love with me, my heart is stolen”. There was even time to hug Samu Saiz, who once in a while said to him “you’re a clown”. This is what the Madrilenian sang yesterday from the balcony of the town hall. A case in point is that of Quique Cárcel, who has an enviable resume: he is also the direct protagonist of the two promotions to Primera. His speech was emotional and reminded the technicians that they could not bear the weight of competing with the brilliant era of Pablo Machín, especially Eusebio. Today he is a happy man.
The focus of all eyes, however, is on Marc Gasol and Cristhian Stuani. That Fontajau is back in the ACB is not exclusively thanks to the Catalan pivot, but almost. With an unquestionable involvement, Gasol has transformed the city’s men’s basketball. “Without him we wouldn’t be here,” says Albert Sabbath, one of his colleagues. Gasol didn’t give up as much as he did in the United States, after winning the NBA: “We haven’t been in the ACB in 14 years and this moment is unique.” Across the city, Stuani has led the return to the football elite, laying the groundwork for the project. The Uruguayan, hours before the victory in Tenerife, before leaving the concentration camp, specifically at 16.56 hours, wrote in a paper that would make history. He scored the first goal and today he made it public on social media. Received with shouts of “uruguasho, uruguasho“, the Girona 7th said that” we have fought it from the bottom of our hearts, to absolute fatigue “.
The creatures who put on the T-shirts were looking for them, happy to match at a glance and keep the special moment forever. They, who will be in charge of filling Fontajau and Montilivi when they are adults, lived a day that serves to love the two clubs. Because that’s how links are created. From the proximity and the will to be there in the good and bad times. Sharing experiences, investing time. There are few feelings that are worth as much as being part of what you believe in. This Monday, in Girona, there are no divisions. Everyone is united.
