A derby revived like in the old days: the hot notes of the Espanyol-Barça derby

BarcelonaAfter years with Espanyol bouncing between the second and first divisions, the Barcelona derby is back in full swing. Two teams firing on all cylinders, plenty of homegrown players, evenly matched on the pitch, and fans eagerly awaiting match day—a feeling that hasn't always been present for Barcelona supporters lately. Luckily, they were able to talk about football. It was needed.

More passion than skill

After a lot of nerves and a lack of sportsmanship beforehand, the match was exciting. It wouldn't be easy for Joan Garcia, but after everything that's been said, we can celebrate that in the end, football took center stage. Was it the best derby? No, especially for Barça, who suffered a lot until Olmo's saving goal. But it was hard-fought, because both teams were full of players who love their colors. Let's celebrate, we have a derby like the old days, with homegrown talent, a Barça that can be champions, and a reborn Espanyol that clashes with Joan Garcia. Let's celebrate that we have a top-class derby.

Don't I miss you, Juan?

Manel, in a cover of Els Pets, sang, "I haven't been naive... and it will be a great pleasure today to let you know... that I don't miss you, girl...". Nothing better than letting go of longing. Getting over it. And with the way this Espanyol team is competing and the excellent Dimitrovic is playing, the Blanquiazules shouldn't miss Joan Garcia. But as the song goes, deep down, they do miss the goalkeeper from Sallent a little. Every time he prevented a home goal, the Blanquiazules felt a pang in their hearts. He's a fantastic goalkeeper. In a difficult situation, the goalkeeper made it clear why the Blaugrana club wanted him.

Cabrera's head

Football is a realm where common sense isn't always the only option. People with or without education, rich or poor, young or old, end up defending the indefensible to defend their team's colors. And I do too. If I think about it rationally, it seems crazy that Cabrera can still play after the blow he took, his face covered in blood. But a part of me gets emotional over those players who give their all. They're the ones you want on your team. It shouldn't be this way, but you see Cabrera playing and you dream of a team full of... Cabreras.

The Olmo Factor

In that back-and-forth battle, Barça struggled at times. That's understandable when you're visiting the stadium of a solid team with European aspirations. It wasn't Raphinha's day, nor Ferran's. And De Jong? In such an important match, his performance was lackluster. It's not the first time this has happened. In the end, the stars were Fermín, with his assists, and Dani Olmo, who needs consistency. Homegrown players. Few understand the game like Fermín, and few know how to find space like Olmo. A special player with a nose for goal, plagued by injuries. If he can find consistency, he should be a regular starter.