When Espanyol looks in the mirror, it never tells him that he is the most handsome in the kingdom. Like a misunderstood person in a land of giants, the parakeet team knows that they must always put on their best suit to be able to stand out in such an apparent world. That and prevent the poisoned apples, like Sevilla, from finding the magic potion that sends them to sleep. Yesterday it was the Belgian winger Lukebakio, with two goals in the first half, who made him look in that damned mirror to show him the harsh reality that the good results at home had hidden.
This Espanyol, effervescent in its initial form, does not stop running. He tries hard. It grows by the moment. Suddenly he stops being an elf and becomes a dragon. And bite. Cast fire and fight. And it is passionate. That is their fate and at the same time their salvation. But it’s not enough. He is not able to realize the many opportunities available to him. The runs of Jofre, the unchecking of Puado, who returned to the team yesterday and will be for the derby, or the deflected shots of Cheddira, starter due to the absence of Véliz, whom Manolo González pointed out in the previous press conference.
The parakeet coach was brave and ordered high pressure that complicated the rival. But as soon as his team lost the initial momentum, Sevilla, with whom there was a twinning in the stands with separate tributes (minutes 16 and 21) to Puerta and Jarque, found a true estate behind Král, yesterday permanently on Gudelj .
And so came the first goal. Sevilla had not yet entered the area when Sambi triangulated in the middle and ran 30 meters until he found Lukebakio alone on the edge of the area. The Belgian took his left foot for a walk and carefully placed the ball in the corner.
The goal discouraged Espanyol, their task still pending is to concede with blows, after an exciting start. Jofre was able to score on a solo arrival in which he looked for the center. Brian Oliván proved it minutes later with a volley shot from inside the area. Sevilla slept the game and Espanyol lost. Fatigue caused more errors and García Pimienta’s men felt at home. Before the break Lukebakio hit again with his marvelous left foot. Cut and dry shot to the opposite post. Joan García had nothing to do.
In the second half, Sevilla was less aggressive in attack and Espanyol had several attacks that could have put them in the game. On the clearest occasion, Véliz finished wide by centimeters against Alvaro Fernández, he had entered due to Nyland’s injury and was greeted with whistles.
This Espanyol, who really doesn’t give a damn, never gives up. He struck and struck and found a penalty that the VAR annulled. What he didn’t find was the goal. One more symptom that this team is missing something or someone on the offensive end.
Without consolation and with a certain helplessness, Espanyol lost again in a match that had been marked on the calendar, because it was later at home, after a tough defeat and before the derby at the eternal rival’s field. This team has suffered five defeats in six games, and it will continue to consult the mirror, because in hope, of course, no one beats it.
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