Espanyol left the Camp Nou triumphant. It was not be for lowerly. A point in Comanche territory as a farewell to the year deserved a big smile. Champagne in Cornellà on New Year's Eve. The parakeet team added thanks to Joselu's goal, always clear of the Galician. But they also gained a goalkeeper for 2023. Well, Álvaro Fernández responded to the courage of Diego Martínez with an outstanding performance. Both, goalkeeper and forward, were the protagonists of an afternoon in which the blue and white team reconciled with itself before taking stock of a 2022, yes, frankly it could be improved.
“I am very proud of these players. What they have done is very difficult. They have competed showing what the DNA of this club is, the força d'un sentiment has helped us. We have taken advantage of our options, we have suffered, we have controlled our emotions. It's a point in a special match and it strengthens our spirits”, that's how exultant Diego Martínez was after the game. The coach was making his debut in the derby and had soaked up what this meant for the parrots. In recent days he had influenced the emotional conditions, after he came up to claim the game, because it was the end of the year "it will go down in history."
A shot between sticks throughout the game and a goal. The forcefulness that Diego Martínez asked for in the previous one. From Joselu and from a penalty. But this time at the Camp Nou, which he ordered to shut up. A derby is a derby. And that image, with the striker raising his index finger to his lips, is already part of his history. Because since 2016 Espanyol had not scored at the Camp Nou and nobody had scored against Barça in their stadium this season in the League. The Galician striker did it all in the goal. He caused the penalty and scored it. "For us it's wonderful," said the coach after the game about the striker. "He is happy for that goal, but the most important thing is that he is happy for the team, for scoring one more point."
Joseludependencia is clear and it is not necessarily negative for Espanyol, because in every inch of the field he shows that he is much more than a finisher. On him has built his philosophy Diego Martínez, who in his retirement from Pinatar wanted to perfect his blitzkrieg, a kind of sport in which, with luck, Darder acts as quarterback and receiver end. The striker exuded joy once the effort was completed. “The feeling is very nice, after the adversities we have had in the last 24 hours. We have fought against everything and everyone and we are happy for the people who have not been able to bring the Espanyol shirt onto the field. We knew how difficult it was to play on this field and the game was against us, but we knew how to go forward”, summed up the Galician, author of eight goals this season.
Espanyol ends 2022 with one of the great unknowns in its squad resolved. Until the fairies say otherwise, Álvaro Fernández will be Diego Martínez's goalkeeper. He arrived to make a career at Cornellà after Diego López said goodbye, but he went to the bench due to two gross errors. Three months later, at the Camp Nou, he brought out his talent, among which his personality stands out. Three actions elevated him. A hand shot from Gavi in the first half. Another somewhat strange save from Rapinha's shot after a rival's deflection. The last one, another savior glove from Christensen's auction with the game in one fist. “I am very happy for Álvaro, Joan and Benjamin, the goalkeeper area was suffering. He has arrived prepared because he has had that process of improvement and confidence. We do not see the DNI, but yields, "said Martínez. Regarding the other protagonist of the derby, the referee, Martínez stressed that he is "one of the best referees in the world". He did not want to dirty the tie with more criticism of the coach, who, as he demanded at a press conference the day before, achieved the best performance of his team. "A l'aguait the whole party".
