It is only the third day of the League, therefore with nothing at stake, and yet Espanyol will go out to play against Real Madrid this Sunday with the feeling that they must take a step forward, convince those present at the RCDE Stadium of the potential of a team for now plagued by a sea of doubts and weighed down by the lack of troops, still pending several signings before September 1.
"I hope that the fans are with the team and that we compete together. The road is long and complex and we have already talked with the club's owners about the risks at the start of the season due to the complexity of the market. We believe in the project, in what is yet to come. Beyond a game, it's about creating something solid in the medium and long term", Blue and White coach Diego Martínez, at the Ciudad Deportiva Dani Jarque, made light of the duel against the Whites.
The point of illusion added in Balaídos against Celta vanished with the defeat in the home opener against Rayo Vallecano. Now comes the worst rival of all. "The eternal contradiction. Playing against Madrid never comes at a good time and it's always a good time to get the best out of yourself against the greats," he explained about the confrontation against the merengue team, from whom he did not 'stole' any points in four games when he was manager of Granada.
Resigned, Martínez acknowledged that when "you face a team like Real Madrid you should have your best day and they shouldn't have theirs", although he advocated bringing out "the best version" to stand up: "We must focus our energy. They have improved physically and tactically. And they are confident of the results. But that's where the challenge lies and we have to compete".
The man from Vigo, who has barely been in the elite for three seasons, surrendered to his Madrid counterpart, Carlo Ancelotti: "He has successfully managed very complicated situations. To that we must add humility, closeness and education like the one he showed when he greeted a coach novel like me last year. I have him in the highest esteem. He is an example. Not only do you have to respect him but admire him".
Diego Martínez's gaze goes beyond the commitment against Madrid. He is not so concerned about the result against the current champion, but about the sensations and performance of his pupils, who little by little are giving "more continuity to the good moments" isolated shown in the first two league games.
"We are advancing and progressing. But we must be realistic. Regardless of the result, it is the beginning of a road that we hope will be very long. We are laying the pillars for a full season. Persevering, but with patience because it is not being easy", defended "the process" the Galician, with an eye still on the market.
The coach hopes that several reinforcements can arrive to "help them compete", players who "put their talent at the service of the whole", since once again he stressed that "the team is the star". Of the newcomers Dani Gómez and Lazo, who will enter the squad against Madrid, he highlighted their "illusion" and their "excellent attitude", while with Raúl de Tomás there is still "no change". The man from Madrid, still the center of all the rumors about his future, is still injured.
In general, Diego Martínez praised all his players, praising their "motivation" and the "tremendous effort they show in each training session", and in particular he praised Sergi Darder and his renewal until 2026. "More beyond football, it represents values, a DNA and a way of feeling. It is talent at the service of the team. I am privileged to have it. Espanyol and its fans should feel proud to have it. Many times this affection is given in a withdrawal in a farewell. It's up to the team to help him raise his best level", he concluded about the Mallorcan.
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