A derby without ‘Els segadors’, but with everything else

BarcelonaThe last time the Espanyol stadium hosted a Barcelona derby, the covid barely appeared on the international pages of the newspapers. Not more was a virus that wreaked havoc on China, the home country of Wu Lei, author of the final 2-2 that night in early January 2020. The white-and-blue fans, who months later would mourn a full decline pandemic, he left home happy. On the other hand, the draw had a taste of defeat and further discussed the figure of Ernesto Valverde, who would be dismissed weeks later, following the defeat in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) in the Super Cup. Quique Setión, Txingurri’s replacement, would end the season on target, with a 2-8 draw once morest Bayern Munich that would precipitate, in that order, his farewell, Leo Messi’s famous bureaufax and Josep Maria Bartomeu’s resignation.

Deunidó if things have happened in two years badly counted without neighboring rivalry in Cornellà-El Prat. It has been 25 months of resilience and purification for Espanyol, who do not want to suffer in their return to the elite and will seek tonight (9pm, Movistar LaLiga) to convince Xavi’s Barça once more, a reinforced opponent who he wants to confirm that he has already hit rock bottom, which is finally growing. The party is full of sports incentives, but in recent hours it has raised political dust for the non-reproduction ofThe laborers in the prologues despite the presence in the box of the President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Pere Aragonès.

Espanyol sources have shown ARA some discomfort with the situation, which they understand is the result of a government leak “interested” following the club did not close the door to modify its protocols, which do not plan to put national anthems in matches between clubs, to welcome Aragonese. “It simply came to our notice then The laborers. Any reason is good for fucking us, ”added the white-and-blue club. There will be no anthem before the derby. However, if it had been, it would not have been the first time with Espanyol as host. In the late 70’s, in the old Sarrià, he rang to receive Josep Tarradellas.

Who will make Alves at Barça?

Today’s Espanyol-Barça, declared high risk according to the competent authorities, will be the reunion of Gerard Piqué with one of the most hostile hobbies towards his figure. Nor does it generate much sympathy in the white-and-blue bleachers Joan Laporta, who will live the first derby in Cornellà-El Prat of his second stage as Barça president. In his first term, the Barcelona lawyer starred in several dialectic fights with his parakeet counterpart, Daniel Sánchez Llibre, and coined the formula “metropolitan derby” when Espanyol took his stadium to the Baix Llobregat. The relationship between the two institutions suffered especially following the flares of radical Barça fans in a 2008 derby in Montjuïc. As a result of that episode, the white-and-blue club still complicates today the access of Catalan fans to the stands of its stadium. However, twelve years following the last derby with Laporta in Cornellà-El Prat, the link between the two entities has normalized. As proof, the directives will meet today for lunch, just as happened in the first leg.

The rivalry will be healthy on the grass between two teams in quite different dynamics. Espanyol has not won since New Year’s Eve and needs to do so to avoid headaches. With this aim, Vicente Moreno recovers Raúl de Tomás following a compromise of suspension. “I notice in his eyes that the thorn in the side of the Camp Nou will be removed,” said the coach, referring to the chances missed by the Madrid goal scorer in the November derby (1-0). Meanwhile, Barça want to take on the Champions League and, by the way, cut points in Madrid in the standings with the doubt of who will play Dani Alves, who is sanctioned for the next two games by the red that saw the other day. Xavi kept the secret to the previous one, but does not rule out placing a false midfielder to generate superiority in the spinal cord. He might also give the first minutes to Dembélé following the pardon a few days ago.

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