BLIND FAITH
Ex-united defender is a serial Euro winner... now he’s masterminding shock leaders Girona as they try to do a Leicester
DALEY BLIND has played in four title-winning teams since leaving Manchester United.
Now he is helping Spanish minnows Girona in their quest to complete a fairy tale that would rival Leicester’s Premier League triumph.
The 33-year-old quit Old Trafford to rejoin Ajax in 2018 and helped them win a hat-trick of Eredivisie titles before a free transfer to Bayern Munich led to him lifting the Bundesliga trophy.
Earlier this year, the Dutchman moved to Girona, a sister club of Manchester City.
And the small Catalan club’s sensational 4-2 victory away to neighbours Barcelona last week sent them top of La Liga.
Blind, who lifted the FA Cup, EFL Cup and Europa League during his time in Manchester, thinks the comparisons to Leicester’s class of 2016 are valid.
Blind said: “I understand the comparison. Leicester became champions in England as a total underdog.
We are going for European football at least.
“This is not really a top club where I play now.
“If you see our dressing rooms, it is all old stuff.
“Around the stadium there is nothing, apart from a hastily-built hamburger stall.
“Such a club, in such an environment, has no stars.”
Girona entertain Alaves tomorrow night and Blind said: “We are not halfway through the season, so it’s too early to think about winning the league.
“But we are doing incredibly well and have at least now declared that we are going for the top European spots.
“I still think Real Madrid, Atletico and Barcelona have much higher budgets, more possibilities and experience.
“The road is still very long. It helps to stay nice and levelheaded.
“We shouldn’t put the pressure of a Leicester scenario on ourselves.”
Girona have won 13 of 16 La Liga matches and scored 38 goals with 13 different players on the scoresheet.
Blind added: “We are the most effective club in exploiting chances. When we attack, we do it all together.
“If you have enough people in and around the box, if a shot doesn’t go in then you can also conquer the second ball and take out the counter.
If that doesn’t work, we are all prepared to sprint back 30, 40 or 50 metres. The real strength is the team and the dressing room.
“I think getting to the Europa League or Conference League would be something great for everyone.
“The worry that we are going to get relegated still seems strong to me, so the club can enjoy to the full how things are going.”