From Xavi’s “faint” to the “joke” penalty: 14 defeats in a row

The hangover of the ‘Delapeñazo’, Espanyol’s victory in February 2009 at the Camp Nou in a historic match (the first time that the last of LaLiga won in the leader’s field), is being too extensive. Since that match, Espanyol has not only been unable to win at the Barça stadium, but has also won one defeat after another and has already accumulated 14 in a row, the second worst streak in its history in official matches.

The first covers from 1986 to 2001, 15 years in which the Blue and Whites (who suffered two declines) added 16 consecutive defeats with a partial of goals of 44 to 13. A few figures better than the current streak, which not only leaves Espanyol with 14 defeats in a row, but with a balance of 40 to three in goals. Only David López, Sergio García and Felipe Caicedo have been able to score since De la Peña’s goals.

The streak is also capicúa. It begins with a controversial penalty in December 2009 and ends with Leandro Cabrera’s to Memphis Depay, two 1-0 in which the sensation of the Blue and Whites is that they could take the points, an opportunity lost in part due to a controversial decision. If in 2009 it was Xavi Hernández who fell (“fainting”, as David López commented) after Raúl Baena put a hand on his shoulder, this time the entry of the Uruguayan, who touches the ball, has generated outrage in Espanyol (“a joke penalty,” said RdT).

During this period, Espanyol has lived a stable stage in the First Division with an excellent season in which they entered the Europa League (they fell 2-0 in 2018-19) and another in which they dropped in category (1-0 in the 2019-20). Previously, the Blue and Whites were not used to putting up much resistance against an opponent that brought together a great generation that won seven of the ten leagues of the decade. In seven of the 14 encounters the parrots received four or five goals. The streak continues no matter how much the Blue and Whites deserved more for the chances they created against the worst Barça of this period.