Vicente Moreno comes out the winner

As a masanasero, born about eight kilometers from Valencia capital, Vicente Moreno is knowledgeable about the fallas. Like those that are metaphorically taking place this week in LaLiga, which experiences the perfect storm of a 15 day break without football and impatience that can give the lower zone of First after eight days. However, and while Coaches begin to fall –Paco López at Levante and Míchel González, at Getafe–, the Espanyol coach sees his position more reinforced never.

Last Sunday's triumph against Real Madrid diploma in some way as a First Class coach, as it demonstrates the existence of a seamless match plan against the leader of LaLiga, against one of the most powerful squads on the planet. And it also shows that, in the face of criticism in recent weeks for the lack of a defined style, the answer lies in the successful use of different resources depending on the context of the game, the moment: associative style, direct play, counterattacks, low-block defense … Although he himself was in charge of emphasizing that there are only three points, If someone came out especially the winner of the clash against Carlo Ancelotti's, it was the coach parakeet.

And, although watching the game it is already evident that the 2-1 was not the result of chance, Vicente Moreno is repeater. Already in Mallorca, two seasons ago, he defeated Real Madrid at home almost on the same day – the ninth then, the eighth now – being a newly promoted before the leader First and playing with the white mistake between the FIFA virus and their participation in the Champions League. That October 19 the scorer was Lago Júnior and the only Real Madrid player who disturbed Moreno's team was Vinicius Júnior, just as this time Karim Benzema did.

Coincidences aside, and regardless of the outcome that may happen –that Mallorca ended up going down many months later–, leaving for the international break with nine points and an undeniable victory against Madrid has nothing to do with doing it with six and immersed in doubts.

There are 30 days ahead, and Moreno's numbers in Primera still have a wide room for improvement –11 wins, nine draws and 26 defeats in 46 games– but at least, while in other benches a bonfire lights the Espanyol one sails today on a raft of water, of tranquility, even with much still to be done.