Girona's second playoff

Girona FC prepare for the second Liga BBVA promotion playoff in their history on Thursday, having completed their best ever Liga Adelante campaign by finishing with 82 points. The Catalans already have experience of battling it out for a place in the Spanish topflight, having reached the 2012-13 playoff, when they got through the first round but then suffered defeat in the final. As such, they will be looking to put that painful memory to rest, as well as make up for their failure to secure an automatic promotion place this season.

Girona FC have held onto 10 members of that former squad. Some of those who remained with club were undisputable starters back then but play a more minor role these days, as is the case of Jandro and David García. It has been the complete opposite for some of the others, like Isaac Becerra, Eloi Amagat, Richy and Pere Pons. The other four names to have stayed on at Girona are Gerard Bordás, Carles Mas, David Juncá and Felipe Sanchón.

Girona's march towards the playoffs in 2013 came as a result of them recording the best season in their history by picking up 71 points. With a fourth-place finish they qualified for the playoffs, where they faced AD Alcorcón in the first round. The first leg of that clash took place in Santo Domingo and ended 1-1. Moisés Hurtado broke the deadlock very early on to put the visitors ahead but a David Miguélez equaliser in the second half made it all square.

In the return leg, Girona never gave Alcorcón a chance. Carlos Javier Acuña quickly opened the scoring for the Catalans in Montilivi and Juanlu Hens followed that up with a brace to make it 3-0 and thereby practically kill off the contest. Sergio Mora got a consolation goal for the Madrid outfit, but it was Girona who went on to take on UD Almería in the promotion playoff final.

The first leg of that showdown was held in Montilivi yet, despite being the home side, Girona got off to a poor start. A Charles Dias goal early into the second half earned Almería a 0-1 victory. The Andalusians then went on to beat the Catalans 3-0 in the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos courtesy of a Charles brace and an Aleix Vidal goal, a result that sealed their place in the Liga BBVA at the expense of los albirrojos.