RCD Espanyol beat Athletic Club 2-1 at San Mamés with goals from Carlos Romero and Pere Milla, overturning Alex Berenguer's early strike. The win, secured this Monday, positions the perico side fifth in LaLiga with 33 points. Coach Manolo González emphasizes focusing on survival, despite the strong start to the season.
Espanyol claimed a prestigious victory at the tough San Mamés stadium, where few teams prevail. Indeed, Luis Enrique's PSG, the reigning Champions League champions, could only draw 0-0 on their recent visit. Athletic Club, led by Ernesto Valverde, arrived depleted by injuries, particularly in defense, missing key players like Yuri Berchiche, Aymeric Laporte, and Dani Vivián. Valverde had to improvise his backline to face Manolo González's solid Espanyol, one of LaLiga's surprises this season.
Serbian goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic, signed this summer to replace Joan García, was crucial. With seven clean sheets and ranking as the second-least conceding goalkeeper in the league, Dmitrovic's goal was only breached by Alex Berenguer's opportunistic strike on a loose ball in the area. Spectacular saves against Andoni Gorosabel and Berenguer himself kept the team in the game. Trailing at halftime, Espanyol fought back with a stunning goal from Carlos Romero and another from Pere Milla, securing the fifth consecutive win.
In his post-match press conference, Manolo González steered clear of European competition talk: he knows the club's history of ups and downs with promotions and relegations. Yet, with 33 points and an average that projects European qualification by season's end, perico fans are starting to dream. The official goal remains survival, but performances like this suggest bigger possibilities.
