At Mestalla, on May 28, 2023, Espanyol experienced one of the the most painful chapters of its history It was there that the club's last relegation was sealed, with a goal conceded in the 94th minute and the invaluable assistance of referee Jesús Gil Manzano and VAR. Almost a thousand days have passed, but every time the Espanyol players set foot in Valencia's stadium, they remember Sergi Darder's tears, the image of that cruel outcome that could have mortgaged the future of a reborn team, which yesterday visited the scene of the events now in European qualification positions.

There was a time when they won so much that they almost stopped valuing it. But now they needed it like the air they breathe. Only Girona knows how badly they've suffered during the 150 days their penance has lasted. This has been the time they've gone without winning and have been tossing and turning trying to find the reasons that have made them change so much. But at least tonight, they'll sleep in peace. Girona recorded their first win of the season against Valencia (2-1) and are temporarily out of the relegation zone.

"We need to meet. It's urgent." This email, sent internally among some Girona staff last week, set Montilivi off. And it's no wonder, considering the first team's situation in La Liga, bottom of the table and unable to win in any of its first seven matchdays. They've only scraped together three draws, the last two in a row. The first consequence is that Míchel's future is unclear. In fact, it hasn't been for days. The performance against Athletic and Espanyol has given him some breathing room, but a setback this Saturday against Valencia (4:15 p.m., DAZN) could leave him without a job. Hence the haste of the email.

Espanyol extends its romance with Cornellà-El Prat, where it had won its last four League matches – one of them the last day of last season against Las Palmas –, placing itself in Champions League positionDespite deserving the win, the Blue and Whites took a desperately needed point thanks to a Javi Puado header in the final play of the match against a highly effective Valencia side that had yet to score away from Mestalla. A quick triangulation and a strategic move were enough to put them on the verge of winning. Captain Perico, who has been heavily criticized in recent days for his poor accuracy and whom Manolo González defended in a press conference – "sooner or later he'll score goals," he said – avoided it.

Before summer ends on September 22nd—the start of the autumn equinox—Fermín López wants to continue making headlines. If during the final stretch of the transfer window he was the focus of news due to Chelsea's interest in signing him, with Barça rubbing their hands at the prospect of a lucrative transfer and him ignoring the daisy, against Valencia it was because of his football. Fermín remained silent until the transfer window closed and decided to continue wearing the Blaugrana, which had always been his main desire despite letting the Londoners woo him. Against Valencia, he spoke where he usually does best: on the pitch. And, specifically, at Johan Cruyff's, where he already demonstrated during the Gamper why Hansi Flick was not keen to let him go. Against Valencia, he opened the scoring with a brace in a 6-0 rout that energized the 5,862 fans who didn't completely fill the small (and temporary) Barcelona stadium.

The Valencian sportswear brand Luanvi was forced to enter bankruptcy proceedings after accumulating a debt of more than 11 million euros. Its business model, based on purchasing materials from China, was disrupted during the pandemic, as was the loss of its CEO and founder, Vicente Tarancón, in the DANA. The Valencian brand, known for having outfitted several First Division football clubs and basketball teams, is facing its worst crisis since its founding.

Espanyol took another step toward continuing their history in the First Division. The Blue and Whites scraped a 1-1 draw at Mestalla in a match in which they took the lead, but which became more difficult for them in the second half. The home side's response demanded the best performance from the Espanyol defense, but also some worthy saves from Joan Garcia, who is making a great showing in every game his team plays. Another unbeaten matchday for Espanyol, who will sleep eight points above the relegation zone.

Carlos Corberán's Valencia is a rejuvenated team. They climbed out of the relegation zone and were able to go toe-to-toe with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu. And not only did they hold their own, they also won, thanks to a goal in stoppage time against a team that had forgotten how to defend (1-2). The first away win of the season for the Che team. A result that is golden for Valencia and another thorn in the side of Real Madrid, who are gradually losing their chances of winning La Liga.

"I've never been so bored as I am now," said some Girona fans after a sleepy first half. Míchel has dug himself in, trying to get a team that isn't working. Against Valencia, he again used Bojan Miovski at the top of the attack. Watching the Macedonian make moves that aren't fully understood is starting to get you desperate. It's true that there isn't much to choose from, but it's worrying that the Vallecas coach isn't correctly interpreting what's happening to him. The whistle on Miovski was resounding. Within a minute on the pitch, Stuani had already created more danger. Within five, he had already scored. For the second time this week, the number 7 salvaged a point, neutralizing Diego López's opening goal (1-1). Relegation remains seven points behind.