Donny van de Beek, 29, watched Girona’s relegation from LaLiga on Saturday after a chaotic final day. The former Manchester United midfielder—limited by injury and used only twice this season—was unable to prevent an 18th-place finish, with players left in tea
By the final whistle on Saturday, Girona’s relegation was no longer a mathematical worry—it was reality. In a match that swung once and never swung back. Elche’s Álvaro Rodríguez struck in the first half. Arnau Martínez replied early in the second half. and then Girona couldn’t find the breakthrough they needed. They slid out of LaLiga after that failure to score again, their players left in tears at full-time.
Donny van de Beek’s season has been defined by the same kind of frustration: injury restrictions. limited appearances. and a late return that still didn’t translate into minutes when it mattered most. The former Manchester United midfielder, 29, played just twice this season. His last opportunity came on the biggest days of the campaign. after he returned to the matchday squad for Girona’s final two games—but van de Beek was an unused substitute on both occasions.
The day’s pressure had been building before kick-off. Girona started in 18th, two points behind Elche in 17th. They were also only three points shy of Sevilla. who sat 13th. with a chaotic relegation battle still involving seven teams capable of going down. In the end. the result against Elche wasn’t enough. and Girona dropped to 19th—sent back to the second tier for the first time since 2022.
Girona’s fall was made sharper by what happened alongside them. Mallorca beat Real Oviedo 3-0, dragging Girona’s rivals into the same emotional conclusion. Oviedo were already relegated despite finishing level on points with Osasuna and Levante, who survived only because of head-to-head record.
The club’s descent closes a story that has swung wildly in just over a decade. Girona were in LaLiga for the first time in their history after winning promotion in 2017. only to be relegated two years later. They returned again in 2022 and then reached the Champions League in 2024 after finishing third. topping the league for a lengthy period during that unforgettable run.
But the European campaign came with a domestic cost. Girona were knocked out in the League Phase after taking just three points from eight games. and they were 16th last season. This time around. they spent the campaign hovering around the relegation places. unable to recover from that slump despite keeping faith with Michel—the same man who had led them to promotion in 2022.
For van de Beek, the setback is personal as well as professional. Girona’s squad has included high-profile names, but availability has been a persistent problem. Alongside van de Beek. Daley Blind. Bryan Gil and Paul Gazzaniga are among the players in the squad. with Vitor Reis and Claudio Echeverri on loan from Man City. Axel Witsel, Thomas Lemar and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are also part of the setup.
Ter Stegen’s own season reflected the theme of limited impact. He joined in January and played just twice due to injury. Van de Beek suffered the same kind of disruption after an Achilles rupture in September. That injury ruled him out for long stretches, even as Girona fought to escape the bottom half.
The painful detail of it all is how close Girona were to other outcomes that could have kept them up. Their chairman is Pere Guardiola, brother of Pep, and the club’s recent history has proved it can rise quickly. Yet for all the star-studded talent on paper. the final-day sequence ended the way injuries and timing often do in relegation battles: with the goal that never arrived.
It’s a sequence that leaves little room for argument—Rodríguez’s first-half strike. Martínez’s early second-half equaliser. and then nothing more for Girona. For van de Beek. the season’s story also ends in the same way: a late return to the matchday squad. and then sitting unused in both of the final games.
Girona’s relegation means a return to the second tier for a club that played Champions League football just a year ago. And for a 29-year-old midfielder trying to rebuild after an injury-plagued spell. this is another sudden turn in a career already shaped by big moves and hard interruptions—starting with a four-year spell at Old Trafford after joining from Ajax in 2020 for an initial £35million. where he played just 62 times for the Red Devils. and now ending at Girona with the harsh final verdict of LaLiga.
Donny van de Beek Girona relegated LaLiga relegation Elche Álvaro Rodríguez Arnau Martínez Marc-Andre ter Stegen Achilles rupture Michel City Football Group
So basically he didn’t play and they got relegated? Sounds like bad luck plus injuries.
I swear soccer is always chaos at the end. Players in tears is wild. Also why would he be on the bench for the last two games??
Wait I thought van de Beek used to be like a big deal at Man U. Only twice this season?? I’m not saying it’s his fault but if he’s healthy enough to travel he should’ve subbed in. Relegation battles are rigged anyway, right?
Girona got knocked out and now he’s the headline again. But the article said they needed to score after the 2nd goal or whatever? And he was an unused sub twice… so was he injured or did the coach just not trust him? I can’t tell. Also the whole Elche/Mallorca/Sevilla thing is too much for one day.