MADRID, 18 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Valladolid host RCD Espanyol this Monday at the José Zorrilla Municipal Stadium (19.00) in the penultimate match of the first day of LaLiga EA Sports 2024/25, in a clash between two newly promoted clubs that once again see some familiar faces, but now in Primera.
Both clubs are historic in the elite of Spanish football and after a visit to the bottom of the Second Division, they are both back in the First Division. Valladolid achieved promotion as runners-up while Espanyol, which went from strength to strength in the regular season, had a good playoff to return to where, based on history, it should be.
With new faces on the pitch but the same coaches – Paulo Pezzolano at Valladolid and Manolo González at Espanyol – who achieved promotion, this match promises renewed emotions and a fierce fight to show that this season they do not want to suffer again as they did when they were relegated.
Pucela want to continue believing in Ronaldo’s project, which is betting on Pezzolano and which has been well reinforced, on paper. The Turkish centre-back Eray Cömert from Valencia is arriving on loan, and among the signings are Juanmi Latasa, from Real Madrid, and the promising Croatian winger Stipe Biuk, who arrives from the American MLS.
As for RCD Espanyol, the patience of the ‘perica’ fans with their main shareholder and president, the Chinese Chen Yansheng, seems to be running out. But the return to the First Division, if it is consolidated, could calm the spirits.
In the absence of any high-profile signings, the Catalan club are hoping that homegrown players like Javi Puado and Pol Lozano will step up, with arrivals that are a ‘can of worms’ like those of Alejo Veliz from Tottenham and Marash Kumbulla from Roma.
–PROGRAM OF DAY 1 OF LALIGA EA SPORTS 24-25.
-Monday 19th.
Real Valladolid – RCD Espanyol. Gonzalez Fuertes (C.Asturiano) 19.00.
Villarreal CF – Atletico Madrid. Cuadra Fernandez (C.Balear)21.30.