Cornellà de LlobregatSergi Darder knows what derbies are, lived through the prism of Espanyol since the age of fourteen. Perhaps this is why the midfielder from Artà, who was already one of the most outstanding white-and-blue players in the first round match at the Camp Nou, was once again the best of Vicente Moreno in Cornellà-El Prat. The Mallorcan showed the way forward and signed a fairly complete game that rounded off with a goal and an assist.
Darder is the soul of Espanyol. The team notices a lot when the midfielder appears; he smiles when he has a context that allows him to decide how to move the team and also suffers when the team can’t find him. The Mallorcan rarely plays badly, who in many games, like yesterday’s, prevails and overcomes a scenario that does not accompany him. Keidi Bare, Yangel Herrera and Tonny Vilhena are good squires, rather physical profiles that provide work and physical deployment but suffer a lot when it comes to giving continuity to the team with the ball at their feet.
On stage as in yesterday’s derby, in which Vicente Moreno prioritizes balance and closing spaces, Darder feels quite alone when it comes to creating short play. Espanyol protected themselves well when it was their turn to defend, but without good-footed partners Darder feels alone and the team is orphaned by engines capable of energizing the game with short passes.
The white-and-blues suffered a lot of losses due to Barça’s good pressure in risky areas. Only with a creative midfielder is it difficult to progress. Espanyol suffered when the first pass was not made by Darder, a player who plays like few others when deciding which is the right pass or maneuver. Artà only missed two of the eighteen passes he tried in the first half.
Five attendances this course
Shortly before the break, Darder gave life to Espanyol after inventing a precise curled shot that Pedri deflected slightly, making it impossible for Ter Stegen to pull. In the second half, the white-and-blues again gave the initiative to Barça, raffling too many balls. The white-and-blues had done nothing to threaten the rival goal again when, out of nowhere, Darder brought light to the darkness of Espanyol with the ball at his feet and gave a precise assist to RDT, in who left him alone in front of the German Barça goalkeeper. This is Darder’s fifth goal of the season, which he has distributed the most this season. That the second is De Tomás, with three, confirms that the white-and-blues need more men capable of serving the last pass.
Vicente Moreno made it clear that his team was in the lead. At times, the approach worked well for him. The coach gave his players an extra tactical briefing during the break, and after that Morlanes i Melamed had solid organization. The impact of the two changes, however, was reduced, as neither of these two midfielders finished the game: Morlanes retired injured and Melamed was sent off in overtime. Espanyol blamed the two casualties, especially in terms of possession. A Darder suffered and, in the second half, could only complete eight passes. Espanyol, without tools to hold the ball, ended up being punished in the final stretch for not maintaining possession properly. A lesson for the future. Defending without a ball is not enough. Darder needs to be accompanied well.
“Nothing has escaped them, but they have won a point,” said the Mallorcan at the end of the match. Darder defended that it was Espanyol who missed two points. “We can’t miss a game in which we did what we had to do in almost every minute. We were strong after conceding a goal early. We deserved all three points, but we have to be realistic, Barça he submits to you, “he added. The Balearic admitted that the physical wear and tear had taken its toll on them: “We spent 100 minutes on the grass, these are situations where you can no longer do it, it influences fatigue and luck”, he commented on the final draw.
