Without Joselu, football is a much more difficult sport for Espanyol. The Zarra of the League is gold for the team in which the fewest players contribute in the offensive facet of the entire tournament. But since this is a problem, its mere absence does not explain the poor game that Espanyol played against Real Sociedad, made up at the end with goals from Darder and Oliván. The people from San Sebastian overwhelmed Diego Martínez's men, victims of his multiple disabilities, for a large part of the duel. And the worst thing is that they seemed to do it without excessive effort. In the end there was a reaction that restored hope, but it did not serve to score.
The third in the League and one of the best visitors landed in Cornellà. A team that due to game dynamics, movements and ball speed today plays in a very different dimension from Espanyol. Those of Martínez offered what they know: sacrifice and work... but very little football, again.
The San Sebastian team has been an example of patience for some time now. Patience with young people, to whom he gives opportunities whenever he can; with the coach, Imanol Alguacil; with the project, and with the game model. And above all, he is patient with his football. When Real plays, the ball is a treasure, a museum piece to protect. Concepts in which this Espanyol is at the antipodes. The blue and white arguments have more to do with testicles and opportunism, with verticality and Stakhanovist work. It should, at least for resources, be able to measure itself as a similar with the Real. But the distance between both entities is gigantic today.
The match was a reflection of what is the present of both clubs. Absolute dominance of Real and a lot of defensive effort from the Blue and Whites. One more exercise in exalting pride on another night with a multitude of inaccuracies. Espanyol's clearest chance came from set pieces. Calero headed inside the small area and Remiro rejected the ball. It was the best and the only thing that Martínez's team did in that phase. Meanwhile, the Royal Society laid out an endless web to triangulate in each span. Keeping it very simple, without too much extravagance. This is how he bottled up Espanyol until in a quick play Kubo volleyed a goal from inside the area. Álvaro Fernández, surprising starter after the arrival of Pacheco, could have done more. The dominance did not cease, and frustration and impotence appeared in the team, and in the stands, impatience.
The entry of Denis Suárez in the second act gave the team more capacity, but Real soon sentenced in a counterattack. Oyarzábal took advantage of a mistake by Rubén Sánchez and gave away the goal to the Norwegian Sorloth. Espanyol's improvement was real, but his rival, without wanting to do too much damage, found himself with the third in a cross that Cabrera deflected to his own door. The stands called for the resignation of the board at this point. Shortly after, Darder closed the gap and Brian Oliván fed hope almost in the added time. The final parakeet arreón should not hide the problems of a team that is only one point behind the relegation, which Valencia marks.
2 - Spanish: Álvaro Fernández; Óscar Gil (Rubén Sánchez, min.46), Cabrera, Calero (Sergi Gómez, min.44), Brian Oliván; Darder, Vini Souza (Gragera, min.90); Aleix Vidal (Lazo, min.69), Nico Melamed (Denis Suárez, min.46), Puado and Braithwaite.
3 - Real Sociedad: Remiro; Barrenetxea (Sola, min.81), Zubeldia, Le Normand, Diego Rico; Zubimendi, Illarramendi (Marín, min.81), Brais Méndez (Merino, min.71), Kubo; Oyarzabal (Navarro, min.71) and Sorloth (Carlos Fernández, min.81).
Goals: 0-1, min.23: Kubo; 0-2, min.51: Sorloth; 0-3, min.63: Cabrera (own goal); 1-3, min. 74: Darder; 2-3, min.87: Brian Oliván.
Referee: Muñiz Ruiz (Galician committee). He sent off Cabrera for a double yellow card (min.80 and min.94). He admonished Óscar Gil (min.18), Braithwaite (min.57) and Carlos Fernández (min.90).
Incidents: match corresponding to the twenty-first day of LaLiga Santander played at the RCDE Stadium in front of 15,867 spectators.
