A Bitter Pill: Espanyol’s Survival Now Hinges on Their Greatest Rivals

In the storied and often volatile history of the Barcelona derby, RCD Espanyol and FC Barcelona have shared a relationship defined by friction, competition and a deep-seated desire for independence. But as the 2025-26 La Liga season hurtles toward its conclusion, the script has taken a turn that no Espanyol supporter ever wanted to imagine. For the first time in recent memory, the “Pericos” find themselves in a position of desperate dependence, praying for a victory from the very club they spend the rest of the year opposing.

The situation is as precarious as it is ironic. With only three matchdays remaining in the campaign, Espanyol is locked in a claustrophobic battle to avoid the drop to the Segunda División. Their survival now depends not only on their own erratic form but on the performance of FC Barcelona—the reigning league champions—who are scheduled to visit Vitoria to face Alavés, Espanyol’s direct rival in the relegation scrap.

It is a scenario best described by the local sentiment: El Espanyol se encomienda a un Barça del que no se fía—Espanyol is entrusting their fate to a Barcelona they simply do not trust.

Los azulgranas visitan al Alavés, que marca los puestos de descenso con dos puntos menos que los ‘pericos’, en plena resaca del alirón liguero

The Depth of the Crisis in Cornellà

To understand why Espanyol is in this position, one must look at a collapse of historic proportions. Under the management of Manolo González, the team has plummeted into a psychological and tactical abyss. The numbers are staggering: Espanyol has not recorded a single victory in 18 consecutive league matches. The last time the Pericos tasted a win was December 22, 2025.

Over those 18 games, the team has managed to scrape together a mere six points out of a possible 54. For any club in a top-flight league, a winless streak of this magnitude is usually a death sentence. The lack of clinical finishing and a defensive fragility that has become systemic have left the squad reeling. While they have managed to avoid a total freefall through a handful of gritty draws, the momentum is entirely against them.

For the fans at the RCDE Stadium in Cornellà, the anxiety is palpable. The team is currently hovering just above the relegation zone, holding a slender two-point lead over Alavés. In the high-stakes environment of the final three weeks of La Liga, two points are an atmospheric cushion—essentially non-existent.

The Mendizorroza Equation: A Dangerous Dependency

The timing of this Wednesday’s fixtures creates a perfect storm of tension. Espanyol takes the pitch first at 19:00 local time (UTC+2) against Athletic Club. Their opponents are not playing for survival, but for a spot in European competition, meaning the Pericos will face a motivated, high-pressing side that rarely lets opponents off the hook.

If Espanyol fails to secure a win or a draw against Athletic, the door swings wide open for Alavés. The Alavés squad, led by the experienced Quique Sánchez Flores, will be watching the result from Cornellà before they kick off their own match at 21:30 local time (UTC+2) at Mendizorroza.

The math is simple and brutal: if Alavés defeats FC Barcelona and Espanyol drops points, the gap between the two teams disappears. Alavés could equal or even surpass Espanyol in the standings, effectively swapping the “safe” spot for a relegation berth.

This is where the irony peaks. Espanyol fans, who traditionally view a Barcelona loss as a cause for celebration, are now hoping for a dominant Barça performance. They need the champions to be ruthless in Vitoria to ensure that Alavés cannot gain the three points that would jeopardize Espanyol’s top-flight status.

The “Champion’s Hangover” Risk

Despite the need for a Barcelona victory, there is a reason for the distrust. FC Barcelona is arriving in Vitoria in the midst of a “resaca”—a hangover—following the lavish celebrations of their league title. History shows that teams who secure a championship with games to spare often suffer a dip in intensity. The hunger that drives a team to the title often vanishes once the trophy is in the cabinet.

Hansi Flick, the architect of Barcelona’s success, has already signaled his long-term commitment to the project, stating that he intends to continue leading the team until at least 2028. While Flick’s stability is a boon for the club, it does little to alleviate the fears of Espanyol supporters. A relaxed, celebrating Barcelona side is exactly the kind of opponent a desperate Alavés team can exploit.

For Alavés, the motivation is absolute. They are fighting for their professional lives. For Barcelona, the match is a formality—a victory lap in Vitoria. When a team fighting for survival meets a team with nothing left to prove, the result is often far more competitive than the league table suggests.

The Broader Relegation Picture

While the focus is currently on the Espanyol-Alavés tug-of-war, the relegation battle is not a two-horse race. The equation in Cornellà is further complicated by the form of other strugglers. Teams like Elche, Mallorca, and Girona are all hovering within striking distance of the drop zone.

If any of these clubs secure points in the antepenultimate jornada, the pressure on Espanyol increases exponentially. The “safe” threshold for survival is shifting in real-time, and for a team that hasn’t won a game in nearly five months, the psychological burden is becoming almost unbearable.

To provide some clarity for those following the global standings: in La Liga, the bottom three teams are relegated to the Segunda División. With only three games left, the “mathematical” safety zone is still out of reach for Espanyol, meaning every single minute of play from this Wednesday onward is a potential crisis.

Tactical Keys for Survival

For Manolo González and Espanyol to take their fate back into their own hands, several tactical shifts are required immediately:

• Breaking the Psychological Block: The 18-game winless streak is now a mental barrier. The team needs an early goal against Athletic Club to believe that victory is still possible.
• Managing the Transition: Espanyol has struggled to transition from defense to attack, often leaving their midfield exposed. Tightening the center of the pitch will be crucial to stop Athletic’s counter-attacks.
• Clinical Finishing: The Pericos have created chances throughout the season but lacked the “killer instinct.” In a relegation battle, you cannot afford to miss the big opportunities.

Conversely, Quique Sánchez Flores will likely set Alavés up to frustrate Barcelona, utilizing a low block and hoping to catch the champions on the break. If Alavés can keep the game scoreless into the second half, the pressure will mount on Barcelona, and the hope for Espanyol will dwindle.

The Final Countdown

Football is a game of narratives, and few are as cruel as this one. RCD Espanyol, a club that prides itself on its identity as the alternative to the global behemoth that is FC Barcelona, now finds itself praying for that behemoth’s success. It is a surrender of agency that reflects the desperation of their current campaign.

The next 48 hours will likely define the trajectory of the club for the next several years. A win against Athletic and a Barcelona victory over Alavés would provide a massive lifeline. A loss in Cornellà combined with an Alavés win would leave Espanyol staring into the abyss of the second division.

The stage is set for a dramatic Wednesday in Spanish football. Whether it ends in a miracle for the Pericos or a tragedy in Cornellà depends on a team they would normally rather see lose.

Next Checkpoint: The results of the Matchday 36 fixtures on Wednesday, May 13, will determine the updated standings and the critical matchups for the penultimate weekend of the season.

Do you think Espanyol can break their 18-game curse, or is the drop to the Segunda División inevitable? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.