He Spanish receives the barca this sunday in a moment dramatic. Penultimate in the table and with the objective of the salvation more and more complicated, the blue and white team he needs victory more than ever. It will not be easy. The parrots carry more than 16 years without winning at home to the Catalans in the League. The last blue and white win at their stadium came in the Cup with an agonizing goal from Melendo in 2018.
To find a victory in the League you have to go back much further, specifically to the January 13, 2007, when the set then directed by ernesto valverde knocked down Barça Frank Rijkaard in Montjuïc (3-1). Louis Garcia, the current Espanyol coach scored the first goal. Repeating that magical night is Espanyol’s challenge against a Barça that can sing the alirón in Cornellà. Here we value the blue and white options with our classic trio of analysts.
Judit Bertran: “We must not avoid anything, it is not our objective”
The derbies are a key date for all parrots, both for those who yearn to go to the countryside and for those who have given up their patience and directly decide not to go. Yes, it is true that, although the difference between two teams is usually notorious, the desire and effort increases exponentially to score.
But, avoid an alirón in this case? I think they have the League well chewed, and that in the end Espanyol should not “should” avoid anything, that is not our goal. We have it very clear: we need points -if possible with a victory- and try to get as far away from the relegation zone either against Barça, against Rayo or against Almería. Now our fight is not related to what colors we will play, but focus on our own challengesin how we can improve our defense and take advantage to score and escape the dreaded red zone.
Likewise, in the hypothetical case that Madrid and Atlético de Madrid played a DJ, Barça would already be champion even before playing against Espanyol. There the alirón would be inevitable. But we are not interested in Madrid losing to Getafe either, so there is no possible ideal scenario other than winning.
Jose Real: “He brings it to me”
Those who know me, be they friends, family or classmates who at some point have shared pre-game talks with me and now you, dear readers, know that my animosity towards our culés neighbors It is inversely proportional to their desire for us to continue in LaLiga next season. I’m not going to judge them. Our situation is so absolutely complicated that I don’t want to dedicate a single effort in everything that is not the RCDE. Of course, in another context I would have another discourse, but i want to be pragmatic. It is what it touches.
I just want to win on Sunday. We need to win on Sunday, spot. Time is running out, our lives depend on it and even more so if the teams that are fighting for the same thing we keep adding points. And if that means prolonging the achievement of the league title for a few days, welcome. And if they win it before the game starts, he brings it to me.
Ernest Alós: “Why can’t Xavi spoil the party?”
I was one of the more skeptical with the commitment to Luis García. I rectify. Results aside, the team has started to play something since he arrived. Apart from the emotional effect of filing the speeches (and the tactical work, one suspects) worthy of Ted Lasso of diego martinez, it is seen that someone makes decisions and that they are executed in the field. That the ball output depends on the centrals, Gragera and Edu Exposito and? darder stays above midfielder (against Athletic). What doesn’t work: darder at the base and vindicate in its place melamed. And so everything, with sense.
Every game since then has been winnable or not. So, why not this Sunday’s. Although logic says otherwise. And even if there is non-stop catoiradas, like the drama of the full-backs: that last week the penalty came when a right-back was covering, to say the least, the left-back in the absence of Olivan and Pedrosa and that the typical extreme boarding had to be faced by a defensive pivot of those who put their leg in (result, of course, stomp of Vinicius). But hey: if we have come to see Oscar Gil drying the other Vinicius, why can’t Xavi’s party spoil the party?