It will inevitably close this Wednesday a 26-year uninterrupted cycle of derbies in the First Division between Barcelona and Espanyol. Bad news for Catalan football, which already lost Girona last year, although it could be recovered shortly. Parakeets are doomed to a descent that will be mathematical in the event of a tie or defeat at the Camp Nou, and what will have a common denominator with the previous time that went down to Second: Quique Setién.
The current Barcelona coach, who will experience his first (and, probably, last) derby, already was one of the hangmen of the parakeet group in its fall of the 1992-93 season. On that occasion, Espanyol finished second to last the regular championship, so he had to play the non-existent today promotion against the third classified in Second, which was Racing Santander.
And Setién, who at 34 was one of the undoubted references of the Cantabrian squad, He played the 180 minutes of the tie that amounted to his own and threw Espanyol to hell, with a lone goal by Michel Pineda (to top it all off, he was an expert) at the first leg, in Sarrià, on June 23, 1993. A Saint John's verbena at the stake.
Rubi and Setién, greeting each other at Betis-Espanyol last season as parakeet and verdiblanco coaches, respectively.
TONI RODRIGUEZ (DAILY AS)
Just one season ago from his last clash with Espanyol
The now Barca coach, who as a player also measured against the Blue and Whites wearing the Atlético de Madrid and Logroñés shirts, nor will you forget the last time to date that you came across them already on the benches. Exactly one season has passed since it dates from the day 35 of the 2018-19 academic year. And he was just as or more questioned than now, then on the Betis bench.
Although a goal by Zou Feddal in the 94th minute to establish the final 1-1 against Espanyol saved him from a safe dismissal, since that same week it had been ratified in public in office, Benito Villamarín cried out for his dismissal between songs and whistles. Seeing is believing: that Betis had 44 points, the same as Espanyol, which was led by Joan Francesc Ferrer 'Rubi' and which ended up getting into Europe. The rest is history.