How far is that Espanyol from the first round that had an identity and knew what it played. The derby against Barça was taken as a worthy defeat – and it was – but after it this version of Manolo González’s men appeared, poor and … sad; that does not earn and that proposes a small fraction of what it was capable of generating a few months ago. It doesn’t seem like a causality, the second rounds are by themselves a fario evil for the revelation teams, but it can be confirmed since the fall against the eternal rival was the beginning of a gray Espanyol that does not know how long it will last.
Manolo redrawn his scheme with a extravagant alignment. Riedel as a winger (this is not Omar’s best season, but perhaps it is not so bad to lose the position to a center back), Terrats won the starting position with his goal at Mestalla and up top, the two nines, Roberto and Kike. Alavés, with everything except its star, Carlos Vicente, who this week left for eight million euros to Birmingham City, in the Second Division of England, in a new example of the superiority of the Premier League universe with respect to our football.
Alavés had not won away from Vitoria since September. The babazorros began by warning with a death pass to Ibáñez who narrowly missed. The Basques had a hard time holding the ball, they moved it sensibly and even stepped into the area. The opposite of Espanyol, disoriented in the placement – that eleven so different -. The intensity proposed by Alavés stunned Espanyol, who only played what is now called direct football. Although it is not clear that this was Manolo’s plan, that is how the first goal came, in a great combinative play. Calero for Kike, which he left with all the meaning it has for Terrats. This opened for Romero to put the measure to Roberto’s head, a pure ‘9’ header and punches to the ground for release. So much slate. Or an accumulation of successes seasoned with luck, always so welcome.
Effectiveness and Espanyol have gone hand in hand since the beginning of this season, but the goal did not change the script. Alavés continued to command and arrive, and Dmitrovic, always attentive, intervened in the 23rd minute to save a shot from Ibáñez. But little can be alleviated with such a poor proposal. Sesma Espionsa was giving everything to Alavés and the tie came from one of those fouls. After the clearance, Antonio Blanco hit a defender and went inside. 1-1.
The parakeet midfielders, missing. The defenders, nervous. And before that, an Alavés with ideas, an initial plan that exploded and through which it grew. All the cold that tempers the Mediterranean was brought to the blue and white stands by the sad game of yours. In the final minutes of the first half the Catalans wanted to stretch, but they barely got a header from Cabrera, an isolated sign of danger. Because Espanyol, with three starters on the bench, did not understand what they should play and lacked the spark that was so automated in the first round.
Manolo made no changes at half-time despite the image given by his team. In ’56, yes, Dolan y Millato see if they would unclog what had been clogged for an hour. The Englishman’s backheel came out and Cornellà collapsed. But nothing worked. Espanyol had made a slight improvement and dominated the ball more, but was still just as imprecise and hesitant. In a perfect counterattack, Dmitrovic stopped a one-on-one and saved the 1-2 score. Then a shot by Guevara brushed the post.
The minutes passed and the lack of initiative and feeling of zero preparation of an Espanyol that was playing at home against the worst visitor became more and more surprising. And all this has limits. In ’71, Cabrera He softened under the pressure of Toni Martínez and ended up losing the ball, which ended up scoring so like this. Action defended rabidly poorly, image of a lost Espanyol.
Nothing stopped the babazorro monologue. It was a bath of play and danger. With a quarter of an hour to go, the arguments to think of a tie were null. Dmitrovic He got tired of opening his arms and demanding concentration, solidity and even desire from his teammates, because when the Serb had to serve he couldn’t find a way out. The vulgarity of Espanyol continued and Go ahead He could have made the sentence with a headbutt. The only parakeet light, Female García. The former Alavés player made it 2-2 in the 83rd minute when he was offside. He then forced Sivera to save the tie and again had a very clear shot in extra time. This Espanyol is not found.
MATCH SHEET
ESPANYOL: Dmitrovic, Riedel (78′ Rubén), Calero (84′ Rubio), Cabrera, Romero, Urko (84′ Pickel), Expósito, Terrats (56′ Milla), Jofre (56′ Dolan), Roberto, Kike.
ALAVÉS: Sivera, Pacheco, Benavidez (45′ Garcés), Otto, Parada (61′ Guevara), Ibáñez, Blanco, Calebe (61′ Yusi), Aleña, Toni (Guridi), Boyé.
GOALS: 1-0 Roberto (16′), 1-1 Blanco (28′), 1-2 Boyé (71′).
REFEREE: Sesma Espinosa (Rioja). He cautioned Parada (40′).
