The derby changes the paradigm

not only passed 771 days, two years and a month long, between the previous Espanyol-Barcelona and this past Sunday. And that in both cases the result was identical: 2-2. What has happened is a paradigm shift. Probably because of the chronology of events. But also because of the context and perspectives, at least in the case of a parakeet team that threw their hands on their heads for drawing against their eternal rival –something never seen for many years–, but which has the perception that comes out reinforced for what’s to come.

In the previous derby, on January 4, 2020, the 2-2 was an outburst of joy for the parish of the RCDE Stadium, since he was a parakeet player, Wu Lei, the one who rescued a point for the parakeets in the 87th minute. And yet, the feeling after the euphoria of the first hours was still that of a dispossessed teamthat already at that time, right in the middle of LaLiga 2019-20, I was already colista and four points of permanence. Quite the opposite of a Barcelona that, despite the setback in the derby, continued to leadAnother thing is that the board made the hasty decision to fire Ernesto Valverde after the following game, the semifinal of the Spanish Super Cup against Atlético de Madrid (2-3).

Now the tables have been turned. Espanyol did not reach 29 points behind their eternal rival, but only 11 despite being more advanced in the championship, and The parakeets are as far from sinking in the table as the azulgrana from fighting for the title. And yet, given that the 2-2 was certified with a goal from Luuk de Jong in the 96th minute, the Blue and Whites’ impression was one of absolute frustration at first, but turning point towards the rest of the season, starting with Sevilla’s visit to the RCDE Stadium this coming Sunday. About what quality and competitiveness treasures the template to amply achieve permanence, if not something else, despite continuous defensive failures.

This is not an unfounded feeling, but the consequence of that paradigm shift in the derby –and in other matches, such as the victory against Real Madrid or the draw against Atlético de Madrid–: it was not the almighty top Barcelona in either of the two clashes this season, nor in a Camp Nou where perhaps the parakeets deserved to win despite the fact that they lost (1-0), nor in Cornellà, where the fair despite the bad taste in the mouth of the locals was surely that final tie. A step forward that Espanyol must endorse in the next matches to return to the winning path.