It is the goal of the season. An obligation due to history and budget. Non-negotiable for the fans. But Espanyol, after an entire winding season, with constant changes of direction on the bench and in the game, has practically impossible direct promotion to First Division after adding the fifth consecutive draw in Valladolid. The parakeets confirmed at the José Zorrilla the dangerous trend that they have been carrying for months, also since the arrival of Manolo González to the band.
Pucela was the scene of the final test, the last test for a team lacking personality that had before it the opportunity to vindicate itself. The opportunity to take a step forward despite living permanently accompanied by more shadows than lights, immersed in debates about its many gaps and its few virtues. However, the goalless draw in a very rough match, without any clear chance for the Catalans, is another chapter of a sporting, foretold death. The playoff, very close with three days remaining, becomes the burning nail and realistic for the blue and white to not extend their stay in the silver category, which would, without a doubt, be a resounding failure.
Óscar Gil, relegated to the bench for days, his performance discussed, was the novelty in the blue and white starting eleven along with Melamed, and on the Valladolid side, the start at the top of the attack of the debutant Arnu, only 17 years old, was surprising.
Despite the result, Espanyol’s proposal was brave, as it could not be otherwise in a head-to-head matchup against a direct rival for the first two places. The parakeets wanted to push up with forward pressure. They thus avoided being dominated by the locals, but the game began without a clear owner, the ball dizzying between inaccuracies. The pressure of both teams only increased in the early stages with a brawl after a clash between Anuar and Jofre, which ended with the Parakeet youth squad injured a quarter of an hour into the game. It was the first of many interruptions in a first half where fear of making a mistake reigned.
Every play ended in fouls, interceptions, a timely cut or a blocked shot. Getting to the edge of the area was already a luxury. Masip was a luxury spectator, with the gloves yet to be worn in the first 45 minutes, and Joan García only sweated in injury time before the break, first with a shot from Monchu in the area, low and too tame, which hit the target. to reject and seconds later in a stretch after a header from Lucas Rosa that passed close to the post.
The script did not change after the restart, the game suffering from a tension that was also noticeable in the stands, with the Pucelano public aware of the importance of a duel that could leave them with one foot in First Division. The fuse ended up being lit between the respectable team at the hour mark, when the match referee, Cordero Vega, first gave a penalty for a false start by Joan García on Monchu and then retracted it after going to the VAR monitor. The anger of the local parish turned into happiness just a few seconds later when they saw how the referee showed the second yellow, and therefore the red, to Melamed for understanding that he had jumped in an action inside the area. The most difficult yet for an Espanyol that clung to the tie as the only and insufficient spoils.
Pezzolano’s team pushed, but they were only close to victory in one play, after a general defensive failure by the parakeets, which Negredo missed with a high shot. A lying relief for a blue and white team that still has not shown that it has the weapons to go up to First Division.
