After a draw at the Metropolitano and two consecutive victories that have raised the team’s morale, Espanyol tonight seek a challenge that seems almost an impossible mission: winning at the Santiago Bernabéu, something that the parakeets have not achieved since April 21, 1996 thanks to a historic double by Jordi Lardín, goals that helped the Catalan striker sign for Atlético. Today the hopes of Manolo González’s team are placed on Javi Puado, who has just scored a hat trick against Alavés.
At 26 years of age, this is Puado’s fifth season with the blue and white team, of which he has become their key player. Puado has already played 181 games for Espanyol’s first team and scored 48 goals. The Alavés goal was Puado’s first hat trick in the First Division. The last player to achieve this with the blue and white shirt was Sergio García, in 2013. Puado has faced Madrid three times, games in which he never scored and his team ended up losing.
Bad statistics
Four wins in 88 games
Espanyol’s statistics at the Santiago Bernabéu do not exactly inspire optimism. They have played 88 games there and have only won four times. To trace the last time they managed to draw, we have to go back almost twelve years, to December 16, 2012, when Albín’s goal in the 89th minute left the score at 2-2.
Espanyol is the team that the Whites have conceded the most goals at home in the history of La Liga, with 247 goals. Madrid has had nine consecutive victories against the Espanyol, but has never managed ten in a row. There is another curious fact: every time Espanyol won here, Madrid was not the league champion.
Manolo Gonzalez
Convinced that I can win
In his press conference, Manolo González did not disdain the possibility of springing a surprise: “The match is extremely difficult, but we believe in what we do and we are convinced that we can win and that means having the ball with judgment. In moments of the match when they put pressure on you, you have to try to control them and not let them take their toll on you.”
And he continued with his recipe: “We need to work hard, run more than our opponents and have personality; that will be key. We are convinced that with the work we do every day we are stronger. To win, we have to play a perfect match,” he explained.
After a poor start, González knows that the atmosphere has changed after the two victories: “The euphoria of the fans is not bad. The fact that people are happy with their team and are motivated is good.”
The coach cannot count on Expósito, who is out with a long-term injury. Calero is in doubt due to ankle problems.
Real Madrid
Calm after beating Real and Stuttgart
At Madrid, things are calmer after beating Real Sociedad and Stuttgart. The team is not exciting in its play, but it wins. Ancelotti is not worried about these debates about the game. “My team is more about rock and roll than passing. It is what our fans like and it is what we give them because it is in the characteristics of our players,” he said.
There are no new players in the squad for Los Blancos. Camavinga, Alaba and Ceballos are still out. Ancelotti announced that there may be rotations, but he did not want to indicate which ones. The question in the Los Blancos line-up is whether they will play with three or four midfielders. If there are four, Rodrygo would be the one sacrificed up front because Mbappé and Vinícius seem untouchable. Real Madrid fans are clamouring for more minutes for Endrick and Arda Güller.
Source: www.lavanguardia.com
