Espanyol will face this Sunday (RCDE Stadium, 9:00 pm) one of the most transcendental derbies in recent years, the ‘mother’ of all derbies. Luis García’s team will surely win in Barça to feed the safety options that remain in the five ‘finals’ for the end of LaLiga and are three points below relegation. No margin for error, just add three points.
It will be no easy task to topple a top-flight Barcelona who, if they win, can sing alirón to a parakeet fiefdoma field where blue and white success has not been seen for many years against eternal rivals in the league championship.
Spanishism is not (yet) throwing in the towel and cling to the spirit of 2007 to believe in the necessary victory against Barça. And it is to see the last victory of the Espanyol against the Barça team in the parakeet field and in the Liga, we have to go back to 2007. 16 years and 4 months ago the last Spanish victory took place as local in a league derby. Since then, since January 13, 2007, seven draws and seven defeats in league derbies in a parakeet fiefdom.
That game will be remembered for that one Spaniard’s 3-1 victory under the direction of Ernesto Valverde and for the blow given by Frank Rijkaard, breaking the glass of the bench in the Montjüic stadium, the next home of the Catalans in their exile will be strange. The then Dutch coach of Barça, a man of calm demeanor, surprised locals and strangers with this reaction after his team conceded one of the blue and white goals.
With that parakeet’s win 16 years ago (January 13, 2007), Luis Garciathe current coach of Espanyol, opened the scoring, Saviola equalized the Catalans, but Tamudo and Rufete they tied the local victory, causing delirium in Montjüic.
The Spaniard has not lost to Barça at home since then in the League. His only win came in the Copa del Rey with a goal from Melendo in January 2018. Will the curse end this Sunday? More than ever, the Spanish need to win, life is on their side and they need to keep believing in the miracle of survival. Therefore, all parrots commit themselves to the spirit of 2007, dreaming of seeing such an angry reaction from Xavi this Sunday, just like 16 years ago, he starred in silent Rijkaard.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
