The lord of promotions

Like a man of appearance calm, unflappable publicly for a season, serene and linear in speech, Has stirred up a losing minded locker room –The one that dragged from its historical descent to Second, with 25 points last year– until it becomes a game winning machine. In Second, yes, but overwhelming. It is the story of Vicente Moreno, the leader who has turned Espanyol upside down until returning it to the First Division. His successes may have something to do with his success: he is the lord of promotions.

The one who has just materialized in front of the parakeet group is, not in vain, the sixth of his career. Fourth as coach in the last eight seasons. A fame that began to be carved just ago Two decades when, in his debut as a player of the Xerez, participated in the promotion to Second A. Decisive would be to return, in the 2008-09, the Andalusian team to First after 62 years of absence: his was the header goal that paved the way towards the ascent against Huesca (2-1).

Also against Huesca (in a promotion that ended 0-0 at El Alcoraz and 3-1 at the Nou Estadi) He would rise for the first time in the category as a coach, in the 2014-15 campaign at the command of Gimnàstic de Tarragona. From Second B. The same path as in 2017-18 already commanding Mallorca and beating Mirandés (3-1 in Son Moix and 0-0 in Anduva). And his first promotion to First would be epic, in the following season: he finished fifth with the vermilion in LaLiga Smartbank, he got off first to Albacete in the promotion (3-0 and 1-0) and came back against Deportivo the 2-0 that Riazor brought to finish 3-0 and reach glory.

In case four promotions in eight years seem few, Vicente Moreno was about to get two more. In the 2013-14 season, with Nàstic, he stayed at the gates of Second A after a controversial promotion against Llagostera (2-1 in Tarragona and 3-1, with an extension, in Girona).

And in 2015-16, also as coach of the grana team, he finished third in the regular phase in Segunda and succumbed only in the promotion against Osasuna (3-1 at El Sadar and 2-3 at home). Only the decline last year, in a very limited Mallorca, tarnishes a history which now, with Espanyol, has only made it bigger. The revalidation awaits him in First.