Espanyol host Real Madrid this Sunday at the RCDE Stadium (10pm) mortally wounded and virtually in Second Division, after the painful, not unexpected, defeat on Thursday at Villamarín.
He Abelardo's team fell embarrassingly against one of the worst Betis in recent years. It was not thrashed, but never gave the feeling of being able to take the game because of an alarming ineffectiveness and lack of forcefulness in both areas: soft behind, without lucidity or touch on the spinal cord and without hitting above. For notch the incredible move that Wu Lei missed when everyone already sang goal.
There are still seven days to go in the Express League and they are 8 points of permanence. The bottom team should add the 21 in dispute to caress a miracle now almost impossible. And we must not forget that Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, Barcelona and Valencia are measured, in this journey. For dessert, he receives direct rivals such as Leganés, Eibar and Celta, who will bite the grass and take out the knife to scratch points and fight for a salvation that is already uphill for the parakeets.
But What happened to end in this premature shipwreck? What has happened so that in a historic year for the celebrated return to Europe, you end up falling into hell? Everything has failed. No one is saved from burning, starting with all the players and the coaching staff, going through the sports management, those who follow and those who left, and ending with the directive chaired by Mister Chen.
A sports planning disaster: no closet bottom
Almost a year ago now (on July 3 the preseason started to prepare for the European debut) and
sports planning in that summer
not up to scratch as demonstrated. Nor to cover weight loss (Mario Hermoso and Borja Iglesias), nor to articulate a solid and resourceful squad due to the requirement to play in three competitions: there has not been a good closet and the fact of ‘burning’ 11/13 footballers who have played it all has been detrimental to the team's game.
Neither has been successful with the ‘capo’ of the bench. Up to three coaches have passed and none have hit the key. Nor Abelardo, with much guilt in the debacle of the last two games.
The Directive presiding over Chen did not want to scratch his pocket last summer and paid dearly in the end. Yes he did in January when they got RDT, Cabrera, Embarba and Oier they raised the level of the team, but it was too late.
Finally, this wardrobe cannot be blamed for lack of commitment, at least to a majority, but It is a gripped block that cannot take more. Lack of mental strength and leadership In the group it has taken its toll on this demanding phase. The chest C has not been given and now the remaining traffic until July 19 will be an ordeal.