Loan deals can be tricky to orchestrate, not least when it comes to finding the perfect environment for a young player that is tipped for the top.
On paper, another year at LaLiga new boys Girona would be a tough place for Manchester City youngster Pablo Maffeo to learn his trade as a right back while looking to turn Pep Guardiola’s head. It would encompass months of being the underdog, weeks of preparing to get everything absolutely right to have a slim chance of taking even a point from the likes of Real Madrid, Atletico or Barcelona. In theory, Maffeo wouldn’t have things his own way. In reality, a couple of months into their inaugural Primera campaign, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
A man-marking job against Lionel Messi thrust the 20-year-old defender into the considerable glare of the limelight for the first time on a global level, but to only recognise his achievement on one tough night at Montilivi would be doing his season a disservice. While the post-match cartoons depicting Maffeo tucked up in bed with Messi, unwilling to let him out of his sight for even a second, disappeared, the Spaniard’s star performances have been a consistent theme before prior and since.
When Girona found themselves promoted to LaLiga, the big question was whether they were ready. Following a summer that had seen the bulk of their transfer dealings done with now-satellite club Man City, it was unclear as to whether they had armed themselves with enough to battle against the drop at Spain’s highest table. Realistically, they rose from the second tier with a good Segunda squad, with its complexion certainly not unrecognisable after summer of recruitment.
Defensively stability was the hallmark of Pablo Machin’s system, as Girona conceded just 45 goals across 42 match days, edging their way to three points without a true star to lead the line. Striker Samuele Longo’o netted 14 times, but the Italian loanee did not sign for the Catalan club permanently, with his level certainly lying in Spain’s second tier. With just Christian Stuani signed as an offensive player that could make an immediate impact in LaLiga, the burden fell on the virtues of the unit.
Due to using three central defenders and deploying the likes of Borja Garcia, Alex Granell and Pere Pons in midfield to plug plenty of gaps, wing backs are vital to Girona. Without their hard work up and down the flanks, width is something that would escape Machin’s game plan. This is where Maffeo has stepped up to the plate, with the 20-year-old not only offering the resolve and focus required to play as part of a back five, but also the engine and pace necessary to have an impact in the final third.
His tenacity and work rate were highlighted from his altercations with Messi in September, but the offensive side of his game has been another area in which he has excelled so far in Primera. Driving runs at full speed down the right flank help Girona to counter at pace, with Maffeo’s confidence and neat technical ability enabling him to either come inside or break beyond Portu on the overlap. The Catalan club like to try and release a free man over on the far side, and this explosive style suits Maffeo well.
The youngster certainly has attributes of a top athlete, but the well-rounded nature of his game makes him a realistic option to play as a ball-loving full back in Guardiola’s possession-heavy style at Man City. His first touch rarely lets him down, and one of the hallmarks of his game has become an uncanny ability to dig the ball out from under his feet and wriggle away from opponents at pace in close-quarter situations.
Girona’s game plan revolves around breakaways at pace. Maffeo has shown himself to have the engine required to be a constant outlet down the right-hand side, but looks equally comfortable when asked to sit back and protect the outside of his central defensive three. Versatility is something favoured in the Guardiola era at Manchester City, and the 20-year-old certainly has displayed a range of characteristics that would make him a useful resource in multiple situations.
This season was expected to be one of transition for Girona, but instead it has turned into one of relative success - albeit with quick transitions mixed in. Pablo Maffeo has not hesitated taking the plunge into top-flight football, and an extension of his current form can only be rewarded with one thing: another place in Man City’s first-team plans for the club’s next pre-season tour. This time, however, Maffeo should be kept around for the long term. He’s fast outgrowing the Catalan side's pond, and shows no fear of swimming with Benjamin Mendy’s sharks.
