Arsenal are set to play their eighth and final league phase match in the 2024/25 Champions League as the Gunners prepare to battle it out against Girona on Wednesday, 29 January.
Estadi Montilivi – the smallest stadium in the competition – will play host as Arsenal look to secure a victory that could potentially earn the North London side second-spot in the table.
For the Arsenal fans travelling to Spain for the match, our guide below has all the information you need to know about the Girona away section and the best places to visit before kick-off on matchday.
Who are Girona?
Girona aren't one of the powerhouses of Spanish football and have only become a prominent force very recently. The club are actually part of the City Football Group, meaning they are effectively a branch of Manchester City, which adds a little bit of extra spice to the fixture.
Last season, they took La Liga by storm and for a period of time they looked like they could go on and win the title. In the end, they ultimately lost out to Real Madrid but still finished in third place, earning themselves a first-ever crack at the Champions League.
In the summer, they lost a couple of their best players which has seen them suffer this season. They are currently eighth in La Liga and 30th in the Champions League so a loss on Tuesday night could end their European dream.
With a capacity of just 14,624, their stadium, the Estadi Montilivi, is the second-smallest in La Liga and a ground that Arsenal have never played at before making this a new Spanish away day for the travelling Reds.
Where is the Girona away section?
The Giron away section is a very tiny wedge in the corner between the Preferent and Gold Nord Stands at the Estadi Montilivi. This part of the ground is just a single tier so all fans in the away end are packed in tight together which can help with the atmosphere even if the numbers are small.
What is the Girona away section like?
First and foremost the Girona away section is very small – the smallest in this season's Champions League by far. The positioning of the section isn't great, either, with the angle of the pitch from the away end slightly awkward as the stand goes behind the goal without fully wrapping around like a bowl.
Another downside the the Girona away section is that it is completely uncovered so for matches played in the winter months there is a very real risk of getting wet. Away fans are therefore advised to bring a coat or an umbrella with them to battle the elements.
Girona fans aren't widely known to have any ultra groups so the away end is far from intimading. Segregation will be in place though for all Champions League fixtures, regardless.
18 games in one night 🤯
Wednesday 🍿#UCL pic.twitter.com/OQjiMiwH2G
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 27, 2025
Best pubs in Girona
There isn't much to shout about in terms of bars and pubs in close proximity to the stadium which is why the club are currently undergoing heavy renovation work where fan entertainment is on the agenda. Your best bet pre-match is to enjoy the day in the city of Girona, which is around 2.5km away from the stadium.
Three pubs to check out in Girona:
- River Girona – Placa de Sant Feliu, 2, 17004 Girona, Spain
- Cu Cut – Pl. de la Independncia, 10, 17001 Girona, Spain
- McKiernans – Rambla de la Llibertat, 32, 17004 Girona, Spain
Arsenal allocation for Girona away
Given the incredibly modest size of the Estadi Montilivi, the Gunenrs were unlikely ever to receive a significant ticket allocation for this match. In fact, Mikel Arteta's side was handed an away ticket allocation of just 500 for the clash, although that is eight more than Liverpool's allocation earlier this season.
Unsurprisingly, all 500 of those tickets sold out very quickly, with the prospect of a trip to Spain all too appealing for Arsenal fans.
Giron had to jump through a few hoops in order to get the Estadi Montilivi approved by UEFA for the Champions League and this allocation is perhaps evidence that they should have been forced to play their fixtures elsewhere.