One night not to forget. A match that should be worth more than three points. Espanyol played yesterday its particular sky with a victory in which almost no one believed and that will be recorded in the template and fans for the remainder of the season. The Manolo González team, who survives for Pundonor Domingo after Domingo, knocked down Real Madrid, leader of the League, for greater joy of his fellow citizen rival. Given the circumstances, the triumph achieved is an epic that should serve to relieve somewhat accumulated suffering. It was not in addition to an undeserved victory, because in front of Madrid there was not the pending Madrid that sleeps to the rivals and then hit them without mercy. The whole glamor was left in the capital the white team, which despite the knee will continue to continue one more day.
Manolo González introduced an unexpected variant with the entrance of De Zárate, just arrived in this winter market. Only one week of training have served to convince the coach that his presence was fundamental in a match of so much importance. And the Vitorian did not disappoint, a breath of fresh air in a center of the field consumed by his notable shortcomings.
In Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti took the duel very seriously and parked the rotations for a better occasion. Ceballos entered the eleven because of the decline of Camavinga, and Vinícius started after his sanction of two games with Rodrygo and Mbappé. The presence of all the white stars bouquet was not directly translated into a manifest superiority.
Madrid sought the least possible wear and wear For many minutes. Only some Bellingham movements to the band and the individual accelerations of Vinícius offered some comforters in the first half.
The mission Espanyol was to make the game as long as possible. To do this, it managed to be a very supportive block in defense and was projected multiple times to the attack. Before a little precise Madrid, he was able to steal with danger and be close to the goal. For this, Roberto Fernández and Zárate were key. They only have been on the team for a few weeks but yesterday they were the best. The striker perfectly fulfilled his tasks of giving oxygen and exit to the team on his back to goal. The midfielder combines criteria, temper and talent, very necessary conditions for this team.
Before the first occasions arrived, Rüdiger fell, due to a muscular problem. Asencio replaced him, which takes nothing more than a couple of minutes to finish off a center from the right. Espanyol replied with a great combination between Roberto Fernández and Jofre, who ended with a shot of the Gironés that stopped Courtois. That occasion served as an acicate to the whites, who put another march in the circulation. Bellingham movements opened giant spaces. Thus came a vinícius goal that would be canceled by a previous foul on Kumbulla.
Upon every occasion of the whites, the Perico team was able to rebuild and return to the load. This time it was Rommero who reached the background and its center to the penalty spot was not able to finish it off Roberto Fernández. The striker shrunk his leg against Courtois and the occasion went to Limbo. It was the clearest of the game so far.
Even the intermediate Madrid crashed again and again against the solidarity of the parakeets, well ordered and resistant before the specific stingers of Vinícius and Rodrygo. They were not able to run, nor find a very marked mbappé. To the half wine already departed in a not very friendly way with the fourth referee. Constant fuss and face of few friends.
He went to the resumption when Madrid put the work suit and began a more continuous harassment. Planted on the front, increased the sensation of danger. A shot from the front that he rejected with problems Joan García took advantage of Mbappé to make the stick tremble and incidentally the tankshaft parakeets.
Perica pressure was no longer so energetic and when they managed to recover the ball, they did it in delayed positions and there was no support against a completely overturned Madrid. González then refreshed the medium with Tejero and Roca, and the team recovered the good defensive tone of the first half, although he did not threaten Curtois.
The minutes passed and Madrid found no more solutions than some shot from the front of Bellingham. In the absence of a quarter of an hour the hurries entered the whites, who were still not too reliable in construction. Rodrygo ran into the stick after a rejection of Garcia. And shortly after it was Mbappé who suffered in his skin the good performance of the Perico goalkeeper. The Frenchman looked for the long stick, but with both hands he cleared Corner García, who at that time already supported Espanyol.
The game was long for González’s game, or so it seemed, because in a start with Antoniu Roca, the ball arrived Tejero, who deepened for the Hilaali, and his center finished him to goal with the interior Carlos Romero. Ecstasy broke out among fans, who rubbed their eyes. They couldn’t believe it. Not even the seven minutes of addition would serve to knock down the faith of this team, who with nights like yesterday will be closer to continue in First.
#solid #Espanyol #Tomba #lazy #Madrid
