'I am a perico': documentary that springs from the heart of Espanyol

A week after getting promoted at La Romareda and showing, once again, that Espanyol and the sentiment of its people are indestructible, #Vamos de Movistar will premiere this Friday (23:00) the documentary 'Yo soy Perico', which tries to review the history of the club to understand its uniqueness through the voices of more than twenty protagonists: former players, players and illustrious parrots from all latitudes. “Not everyone is born to be a parakeet”, summarizes the economist and former counselor José María Gay de Liébana.

This Thursday the documentary was released for journalists with the participation of two illustrious players who also think, as they are Rafa Marañón and Dani Solsona, an ideal example of what Espanyol is and its magic: Cornellà's noi was parakeet because “It was what I saw in my house, by my parents. In fact, my father even criticized me when I played badly”. While Marañón, the top scorer in the club's history, a native of Olite (Navarra), discovered the parakeet feeling when he arrived at the club in the 70s and never let go of it. His son Carlos, who played in the lower categories, is another confessed follower of Espanyol, a religion: “God chooses us”, summarizes Gay de Liébana.

Players like Raúl Tamudo, Nico Melamed, Óscar Melendo; advertisers recognized as Toni Segarra, Josep Maria Piera or César García (the inventor of the Wonderful Minority), who give credit to Gerard Piqué for always remembering Espanyol; former players like Moisés Hurtado or Thomas N'Kono; employees or journalists like José María Calzón or Tomás Guasch, all of them accompanied by Araceli Pérez (Federació de Penyes) or the players Anair Lomba or Verónica Boquete. In the documentary, well spun by Juanma de la Casa and Sergio Sánchez, the three stadiums are treated, the idols as Zamora, Parra or Di Stéfano, which Guasch synthesizes in one sentence: “Few teams could have an eleven like Espanyol if we take the best players.”

But there is also room for the joys of the cups (2000 and 2006) for the tears of defeats, such as Leverkusen or Glasgow, unmatched by those shed (and still gushing), due to the death of Dani Jarque in 2009 , and that Thomas N'Kono and Moisés Hurtado define as well. “It was more shocking than my father's death,” said the current Figueres coach.

The authors, oblivious to the current situation of Espanyol, recognize the “resistance” of their people to a giant like Barcelona, ​​which absorbs everything. “All the fans assure that the feeling for their teams is special, but in the case of Espanyol it has a different component from the rest, there is a greater resistance”. Tonight, the 'I am perico' after Espanyol-Cartagena is a must.