Valencia was (in present, is) Espanyol’s last chance to make up a disastrous first round away from home, in which he has only added three points (three draws). It would be necessary to go back to the 1988-89 season, which resulted in the third decline in the history of the blue and white entity, to find such poor numbers. On that occasion those of Javier Clemente finished with only two points.
But, in the midst of that post-Christmas vindication, the blue and white team has come together with a force majeure problem, COVID, which also devastated him at the beginning of the pandemic when up to eight players suffered it during confinement. On this occasion, there are five players who will be safe for Valencia. In the absence of knowing the names, which the club or the infected have made official, we must add the injuries of Óscar Gil, Álvaro Vadillo, David López and Nany Dimata. It will be necessary to see the evolution of the forward, the one who has more options.
To the bad streak out and to the problems of the coronavirus is added the 14-year streak without winning at Mestalla. Waiting for the ches to return to work and it is known if they suffer casualties like Espanyol or not, the elements are allied against a Vicente Moreno who is not prone to making excuses, and that he will try to adapt to the circumstances.
In exceptional moments, against all the elements, is when Espanyol can bring out that spirit of resistance and an unexpected victory can come and that it would save the team from a very poor first round.