BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Artem Dovbyk scored a hat trick as Girona crushed Granada 7-0 and put the perfect finish to the Catalan club’s spectacular season on Friday.
Girona, which is owned in part by Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi owners, started the Spanish league with the goal of just avoiding relegation. But the Ukraine striker and his teammates excelled under coach Míchel Sánchez and made Girona one of the revelations of European soccer.
Girona finished the league in third place and classified for the Champions League for the first time, even if its owners will have to divest so it and City can both play in Europe’s elite tournament.
Dovbyk leads the league with 24 goals for the season, one more than Villarreal’s Alexander Sorloth before his team visits Osasuna on Saturday in their last game.
Viktor Tsygankov scored two, and Éric García and Cristian Stuani also chipped in.
Granada had already been demoted and will play in the second division next season.
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