As the race for the La Liga trophy draws to a close and Real Madrid closes in on the most sensible prize, it is admitted that Girona’s audacious attempt to become champions will end with pride and satisfaction rather than unbridled joy.
However, regaining Champions League qualification would still be an achievement, and the Catalans could have the winner in striker Artem Dovbyk, less than a year after kicking the ball for the first time for the team.
Top scorer with 18 league goals at the time of writing, the Ukrainian is on course to win the Pichichi Trophy awarded to the prolific top scorer in the Spanish top flight at the end of the season. Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham – also in his first season and apparent sensation – follows him with 17 moves and is also contemplating this distinction.
Dovbyk, who has played five more league games than Bellingham this season, has proven to be a focal point for Girona. What stands out is rarely his complete play or his excellent goals, but rather being in the right position at the right time to take risks with minimal complications. The precision in Girona’s preparation is such that their task has been to put the finishing touches on it. Of course, there was genuine quality to it.
The 26-year-old has temporarily risen to prominence, with a much longer career in comparison. Dovbyk, who arrived in Girona as an unknown user after passing through Denmark, Moldova and Ukraine, has built his game around strength and has become a beast. Up front. A six-minute hat-trick against Sevilla will be the highlight of a decisive crusade in which Dovbyk, like Girona, has undoubtedly made his own.
Before embarking on his goalscoring adventure as a new Blanquimervells player, Dovbyk said: “I don’t have any pressure. “And who can argue with that? Here is Girona, a team with more years in the fourth division than in the first, and not in Barcelona or the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid. This is a record acquisition for the club, for less than 8 million euros ($8. 5 million), a small expense for many teams.
If he were to win this award, awarded through the newspaper Marca for 71 years and named after the great Rafael Moreno Aranfadi of Athletic Club, he would be a wonderful winner. Since former Mallorca striker Dani Güiza topped the table after a purple spell in 2007 and 2008, it basically belonged to big-name stars such as eight-time winner Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and 2022/23 season winner Robert Lewandowski.
Dovbyk’s tally comes in a season in which no one has recorded exceptional numbers. The No. 9 still wants five more to equal Lewandowski’s tally of 23 in the league last season, the fewest in 22 years. The fact that a deeper player, Bellingham, is among the most level-headed scorers in the department says it all.
However, Dovthroughk is one of the most productive at the moment. And, for the future, he could be an option for Napoli, as the Serie A side could replace Victor Osimhen (Spanish) next season after a comfortable defense of his name, as Mundo Deportivo reported. Turning a profit, although preparing for European football, which will excite the team, means that’s far from certain.
At the moment, there are other targets in reserve. Girona’s match against Las Palmas this week is the longest day outside of European football, about 1,500 miles from its Estadi Montilivi, which has hosted some crazy matches lately. Dovbyk also went far beyond the highest expectations. In doing so, he added another size to a garter destined to end up in family hands.
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