Espanyol loses another opportunity to give the ‘sorpasso’

The two goals from Iván de la Peña with those who Espanyol came back in 2009 will remain one more year in the collective memory perica as the last time the blue and white team was able to storm the Camp Nou. This seemed like an auspicious visit to break the spell, at least a couple of weeks ago, when the Barça drifted aimlessly through the League, unsuccessfully trying to rebuild under the baton of Sergi Barjuan the remains of the period of Ronald Koeman. But the arrival of Xavi and the illusion that he has awakened at Barça made the mission much more difficult.

Espanyol left, once again, defeated at the Camp Nou. He did not concede a win. Nor did he take a deadly goring like that of a year and a half ago, when an empty stadium attended the confirmation of an announced descent. The Blue and Whites’ season continues to be remarkable. But the sense of missed opportunity It is obvious. And it does not attenuate it, but on the contrary, the clear occasions of the last minutes.

Two RDT sticks

Shipment two balls to the stick of Raúl de Tomás, in a foul from the front and in a header in which he rose above everyone. Did not have to jump In the eyes to head the ball absolutely alone in the area and with half a goal for him, but the Belgian striker was not able to turn his neck so that the ball reached the goal. You will not have an easier one. Nor did Wu Lei take advantage of a gift from Coutinho in the small area in the last minute.

Espanyol arrived alive at the final stage of the game, perhaps thinking that if Celta were able to lift the Catalans 0-3, they would also have their chances with a meager 1-0. He arrived alive but after suffering a lot in the first half. With Keidi Bare injured, Vicente Moreno gave ownership to David López. The captain was embedded between the centrals when Barça had the ball, and that was almost always. The 5-4-1 it did not prevent Barça from reaching the bottom line on too many occasions.

“We were trying defend together, hold your long possessions and go against“, he acknowledged Raúl de Tomás. But even if that was Vicente Moreno’s approach, he surely did not expect his team to be so sunken, so close to Diego López and so far from Ter Stegen. Long shots to RDT were a hymn to optimism, and only Darder and Pedrosa, which drove Mingueza crazy, gave Espanyol a way out.

The words of Raúl de Tomás:

“I think the fair thing would have been a draw, but in football you have to score goals.”

“From the field I think the penalty is a joke. I may sweep him, but first he touches the ball.”# LaCasaDelFútbol pic.twitter.com/xXPGpQ8bFC

– Football in Movistar + (@MovistarFutbol) November 20, 2021

A good chance for RDT before the break instilled a halo of hope in the Blue and Whites that evaporated with him penalty given to Cabrera when trying to avoid the Memphis kick. A penalty neither clamorous nor non-existent, perfect for a referee. He whistled it, though to RDT it seems “funny”, and Memphis beat Diego López.

Sin ‘overtaking’

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Espanyol had no choice but to go for the game. He first looked for the ball with the entrance of Melamed and Morlanes, and when he had it, after Pedrosa took out under the sticks what was already sung as the first goal of Abde, chased a goal that was close but did not come.

The Spanish fell with great dignity against his eternal rival, but lost a good chance to overtake him in the standings, even with one more game. It already happened when he visited a Getafe in full collapse, who did not know the victory, and who won 2-1. Last night he had another opportunity to pass Barça, and he also disappeared. And it seems difficult to have another again.