Oier Olazabal: Not even ten minutes had passed when Oier, with his head and inadvertently, took a very clear shot from Zubimendi. Later, although he hesitated in some aerial actions, he was confident in goal and helped, although without excessive interventions, for Espanyol to arrive alive until the fateful penalty that Isak converted.
Oscar Gil: Both Diego Rico and Isak’s falls down the left caused him a lot of problems, aggravated by two turnovers that almost cost Espanyol their first. He was barely able to join the attack because Vicente Moreno’s team did not carry out positional attacks.
Calero: The central defender was once again one of the best on the pitch until that blur in the last moment of the match. He entered Merino with excessive aggressiveness, which caused Jaime Latre to signal a penalty. The best with the ball at his feet, as an action in the second half in which he risked, but gave way to the game. He forceful in the crosses, well placed and solvent in defensive actions, except the last one.
Cabrera: The center back was a main player in both areas. First, with a header that went near Remiro’s left post. Later, due to the slight foul that Sorloth did to him and that finally, with the intervention of the VAR, ended up annulling the referee. He cut some dangerous actions and in others he was surpassed, but in general terms, a remarkable game, concentrated, took shape.
Pedrosa: He had to do extra hours in defense due to Portu’s aggressiveness. Except for a loss of the ball that ended with a dangerous shot, the left back contained the Murcian winger well and put on a good game at a defensive level, with hardly any errors, booked after 1-0, the result of impotence.
Keidi Bare: He left the field in the 60th minute after arriving with discomfort after going with Albania. The player forced as much as he could, in a change already agreed, and contributed work to the midfield without great notable actions.
Yangel Herrera: The Venezuelan started the match with too many revolutions, with two fouls in just six minutes. Finally, already in the second half, he saw the yellow card. He alternated errors in possession with other more successful actions, but he had to bail out water and shut down highly mobile players like Silva or Rafinha.
Darder: The best parakeet player on the field. Espanyol found light in their boots, but participated little in the game, disconnected in the first half as they were away from the plays, more participatory in the second half although unable to interact with their teammates: Espanyol had a hard time deploying.
Loren.
Embarba: It started active, with two precise centers and a shot from outside the area, of the little damage that Espanyol did in attack. He was supportive in defense although Diego Rico was the winger with the most internships for Real. He ended up being replaced in the 60 without further significance.
Loren: The striker had the difficult task of placing RdT alone at the point of attack with hardly any competitive pace. He did not finish off the goal or set foot in the area too much, although he was the subject of a penalty at the end of the first half that the referee did not point out nor did the VAR warn him. In the second half he was better, like the rest of the team, but he ended up being substituted.
Puado: It was not the youth squad’s day. Although he was seen to be fast in some drives, he barely found spaces in attack or participated in the offensive game, waiting to help defensively in the 4-4-2 in his own field that Vicente Moreno proposed.
Melendo: When Espanyol took the field it improved. The midfielder helped calm the game and lengthen the possessions. The player was upset with the action of the penalty and protested to the referee.
vilhena: Substitute for the second time since he landed at Espanyol, the Dutchman was active and stepped in the area thanks to the good minutes of Espanyol from minute 70. He executed a header that went over the top.
Aleix Vidal: The footballer came out for Óscar Gil and stepped on the opposite field more times. He improved his performance compared to other games.
In the eyes: The Belgian came out aware. He lacked speed in actions and clarity on the ball, but he forced fouls that helped his team catch their breath and gain time.