Almería, once again the promised land of Espanyol

Espanyol visits the Mediterranean Games in Almería, a stadium with little tradition for the Blue and Whites but of unbeatable memory, especially in the 2008-09 season in which they certified their mathematical salvation with an unmitigated 0-3 against the Andalusians. It would not be definitive now, since the distance with the third party, in case of winning, would increase to 13 points (plus the 'goal average') and there would be 21 at stake, but that Espanyol does not finish in the top two if these circumstances occur would be an unprecedented catastrophe.

Before that meeting, Espanyol had made their debut at the Almería stadium with a defeat in the 2007-08 campaign. A 1-0 that broke a spectacular streak of Ernesto Valverde's men, of 17 games in a row without losing, the icing on the cake was a 3-0 against Villarreal on Twelfth Night that left the Blue and Whites settled in the Champions zone. But that Almería by Unai Emery He cut the trajectory with a goal from Kalu Uche, who would later be a Blue and White player for six months. From there, those of Valverde they added three victories in the next 22 games and went from doing a tuition season to a vulgar one.

That blow started in Almería condemned Espanyol the following season, when it flirted with relegation all season until, curiously, that 0-3 in the Mediterranean Games that closed a dark stage with up to four technicians. Iván Alonso, on two occasions, and Ferran Corominas, who always left his mark on the important moments of two decades ago, were the scorers. Espanyol reached its promised land, which Iván de la Peña announced in a defining press conference.

Subsequently, Espanyol has gone to play up to four more times in Almería, all of them in the First Division. From the 0-1 victory with a goal by Luis García in the 2009-10 season to the draw (1-1) in the 2014-15 season in Sergio González's debut as coach and in a match marked by a blackout that postponed the meeting. In between, a 3-2 in the 2010-11 campaign with another goal from Kalu Uche, and another draw, that of the 13-14 campaign without goals (0-0).