On paper, a draw at El Molinón, where no visitor has emerged victorious this season, looks positive. Without Raúl de Tomás and with the team still in positions of direct promotion to First. But football is not only an 'x' in the pool, but the sum of endless circumstances. And against Sporting, on Sunday, a sports and social swell, both fueled by a questionable arbitration decision, which draw a two-headed Espanyol.
From a football point of view, the dichotomy is so evident that the Vicente Moreno assumes that “from some games to here we are not finding the prize that we seek and possibly deserve. “In other words, the good game and dominance of the parrots –even with defensive gaps, such as the one caused by Uros Djurdjevic's goal– is inversely proportional to their results. And this is how, in the second round, Espanyol adds eight points, for the 15 of Mallorca and Leganés, or the 11 of Almería and Sporting, although it is true that it has already been measured with vermilion and Asturian -without losing-, and also against Rayo.
The controversy is greater on the social level. A more than probable penalty for takedown on Óscar Gil, who failed to point out or Luis Mario Milla Alvendiz, referee on the pitch, or especially the VAR manager, Santiago Varón Aceitón –Mallorquín and remembered for his controversial expulsion of Lluís López from Las Palmas– has lit the wick.
Óscar Gil is brought down by Gaspar Campos.
PACO PAREDES (DAILY AS)
At the end of the game, the CEO of Espanyol, Jose Maria Duran, agreed to intervene on some radio stations –'La Grada 'and' Tiempo de Espanyol'–. But, far from representing the mood of parakeets, his appeal to calm and to work only internally and stealthily -This Monday he allegedly telephoned organizations such as the Federation or the Technical Committee of Referees- to improve arbitration, to “not fall into populism”, as he came to literally express, caused a rejection which led to a statement from the small and medium shareholders (grouped in the APMAE) demanding the club “self-demand and rebellion.”
As almost always, the waters will subside again with the passing of the days and the absence of the public at the RCDE Stadium -This Monday was one year old since the last meeting with spectators- will contribute to nourishing that appearance of a haven of peace, on Friday against Oviedo. But the fans will continue to exist. And patience, dueling with impatience. Something that only promotion will truly quiet.