More in need of miracles than ever, the devoted Espanyol fans have entrusted themselves to their new apostle, Luis GarcÃa. A coach who will debut in the middle of Easter to try to revive a team crucified during the Diego MartÃnez stage. On paper, the blue and white entity has achieved what it wanted, to rekindle the fervor between the fans and the players to try to get out of the relegation places it now occupies.
Since the Third Division, Luis GarcÃa has transformed in a few days into a true spiritual guide. Some time ago he was already considered by the parakeet fans as the perfect son-in-law. A man of the house that everyone knows for having honored this jersey for seven years at the turn of the century. Someone trustworthy who has always defended the entity and with whom it is easy to identify. And even stimulating. With his direct message and without his philosophical opulences, he has humanized the club and the team at a very delicate moment. And although the movement has been somewhat reckless on the part of the property, it also wastes courage to bet on an inexperienced man in the elite.
The first intended effect has been achieved in just a few hours. The skepticism that presided over the environment with Diego MartÃnez has been transformed into hope. Of course, you don’t live with desires in football, and against Athletic, who has just lost to Osasuna in the Copa del Rey semifinals, he will begin to be judged by his present and not by his past.
In his first training, open to the public, just over 1,000 people gathered. It is not the first time this course that the fans show muscle to cover their own. Some fans expressed an idea that speaks of what the Asturian means: if he has to descend, let it be with Luis GarcÃa, who will feel it as his own. Against Athletic, one of the best tickets of the season is expected, since the fans have already withdrawn more than 5,000 tickets.
The Asturian coach has hardly had time to implement his style book, although he has already made the guidelines clear. He is looking for a team with personality, a protagonist and that shows that he is the one who needs the points and not the rival. “We are the ones who risk the beans, and we must make it notice from the first minute,” he said at a press conference. He also acknowledged that he had barely had time and that little more than “brushstrokes” of his proposal will be seen. Be that as it may, he highlighted the intention of “being able to put the rival in the opposite field.”
Athletic seems the ideal opponent, since the Blue and Whites have gone 23 League matches at home against the Lions without losing, the best run in force against any First Division team. It is at home where GarcÃa’s team has the most room for improvement, the worst venue in the League after 13 games, with only 13 points added.
