Elche earns a sixth promotion to the top flight
Gerard Gumbau Garriga hails from Campllong in Girona, a tiny Catalan town of just over 500 residents. Its roots trace back to 899, when it was known as Campolongum, a name tied to open fields and rural life. Most locals work in farming and livestock, and a young Gumbau grew up nearby the regional capital, Girona. He trained at a local sports school that would become a stepping stone to his future path, eventually crossing paths with a future Elche teammate along the way.
Return
Gumbau returns to his footballing homeland, where his education unfolded through Girona’s youth system. He made his reserve team debut in the 2012-2013 season and played 34 matches the following year, earning several calls to the first team. His precise ball control and reliable shooting caught the eye of FC Barcelona, which offered him a three-year professional contract in the summer of 2014.
Debut for Barça against Elche CF
In Barcelona colors, Gumbau appeared for the senior squad under the glare of a demanding environment. He played his first competitive match for Barça in the Copa del Rey against Osasuna in January of the following year, a game that ended with a 0-4 defeat while he watched from the bench. That season, he faced a partial path to the first team, gathering experience across several competitions.
During that contest, he faced one of his eventual teammates, Enzo Roco. The Girona native moved into midfield in the second half and played a full 90 minutes. The match was decided decisively, and in that campaign he logged eight appearances across Europa League, Copa del Rey, and La Liga.
In 2017, Gumbau moved to Leganés to chase more minutes in Spain’s top flight. There he made a meaningful impact: two seasons with 41 league appearances and two goals, plus a Cup run in 2019. Yet Elche, under coach Pacheta, crossed paths with him again as an eventual collaborator on another chapter of his career.
Night of ascent
Gumbau found himself on the Girona bench during Elche’s victorious night that sealed promotion to La Liga. The season featured familiar faces; another former Elche teammate, Francisco, coached Girona, while Johan Mojica, a Catalan, joined the coaching staff as a partner to the squad that year.
Francisco, Gumbau and Mojica celebrate Girona’s rise
On Sunday, August 23, 2020, Elche secured a return to the top tier with Pere Milla’s decisive goal. Gumbau carried the ambition of returning to Primera Division, and soon after, as Girona prepared for the next league campaign, the young midfielder joined Elche, a club that had spent three seasons in the First Division, including two alongside Gumbau. He accumulated 64 appearances for Elche—7 in the Copa and 57 in La Liga.
Back to Montilivi
From that moment of personal triumph and shared joy for the fans, Gumbau carried a mix of emotions. He never scored for Elche in official competition, yet the thought of netting against his old team would have carried a bittersweet sentiment.
Life’s twists nudged him toward a new challenge. After the long-awaited promotion did not materialize as hoped, he moved on. He joined a squad facing a relegation fight, testing himself once again on Montilivi soil.
Gumbau’s arrival at Elche CF training was noted in the club’s morning session.
Potential target?
Gumbau has emerged as a standout product from his childhood club, a product of La Liga Santander’s evolving academy system. He began twice in recent matches, including a 0-0 draw at Camp Nou. As he approaches 29 in December and with his contract set to expire next June, the upcoming Sunday match at 14:00 could provide a stage for the midfielder to demonstrate his readiness for a new move.
This season’s numbers
Among the assists leaders in a squad with Boyé contributing two and the team totaling thirteen, Gumbau has been a dependable presence across multiple coaches this season. He has logged 1,950 minutes, ranking third in playing time behind two teammates, and he has accumulated nine yellow cards, underscoring the intensity he brings to the field.
The Girona native also joined Beccacece and became a consistent presence in early games with the coach. He remains the only midfielder to work twice with the Argentine in the opening trio of fixtures as Carmona is sidelined by injury and Fidel faces a suspension roster.
Gumbau stands out for his ball striking. He handles a majority of set-piece duties, and his passes frequently threaten goal or find teammates in dangerous positions, tallying four assists. La Liga features just 13 players with more assists than him this season.