Espanyol's Benjamin Button Syndrome

BarcelonaDespite a poor start to 2026, Espanyol is on cloud nine. With 34 points, they have recorded the club's second-best record in La Liga this century and currently sit fifth in the standings, a position that would secure them a European spot if they finish the season this way. A period of sporting success. coincides with the economic –After years of hardship, the club is financially sound and has room to sign new players– and is experiencing an unprecedented surge in popularity.

The club has over 31,000 season ticket holders and almost 37,500 members, 11,000 more than a decade ago and 3,000 more than a year ago; and that's despite the fact that last season, the blue and whites They saved their place in the league. Half an hour before the end of the match. These are record-breaking figures, the best in the club's history, resulting in unprecedented attendance at Cornellà-El Prat and an atmosphere reminiscent of another era. The unification of the supporters' section, comprised of the Curva and the Juvenil, has also played a significant role in this.

"Alan Pace is blown away by the atmosphere in the stadium," sources within the RCDE Stadium say; hence, his media partner JJ What, who was also impressed during his visit, dubbed it the "cauldron of chaos" – the club has even produced merchandise with this slogan. The former NFL player who Espanyol goes viral with a beer in hand He promised he would return to experience a live match in February.

Espanyol captivates young people

A stroll through the Splau shopping center or the Ribera park in Cornellà, where large crowds gather before matches since the town council forced the bars on Baix Llobregat avenue to close due to the multiple hit-and-run The derby last year highlights another reality of Espanyol's fanbase: it's getting younger. "You can see it in the stadium and surrounding areas. More than ever, it's full of children with their parents or grandparents, and teenagers with their groups of friends," says Silvia Rodríguez, the newly elected president of the Catalan Federation of Espanyol Supporters' Clubs. The numbers confirm it: more than 40% of Espanyol members are under 30, and the two age groups with the most fans are 10 to 19 and 20 to 29. This is a trend that has been changing; not long ago, there were more members aged 50 than 20. Since 2018, season after season, the average age of Espanyol members has decreased. In seven years, it has gone from being over 46 to under 38 today. This means that each season Espanyol's youth stats decrease by a year, and that despite the two relegations, the club is 18% younger than in 2018. The incident involving a handful of bottles in Gazzaniga – one of which hit the Girona goalkeeper – last Friday, is a stain on Espanyol's otherwise splendid run of form. Aware that such incidents tarnish the image of the entire fanbase and, in the event of a stadium closure, could affect the first team's performance, Espanyol is already working to identify those responsible for the incidents and apply the sanctions specified in its internal regulations.

More sacrifices to travel

Espanyol's fanbase is younger and more dedicated. The number of members traveling has also increased recently—for the match at Levante's stadium, the club received 1,400 applications for 626 tickets—especially due to the influx of young people who travel every two weeks to support their team wherever they play, at a low cost. This Saturday (4:15 p.m., Movistar LaLiga), another massive turnout of Espanyol fans is expected for the Valencia-Espanyol match at Mestalla.

"I often travel by train or BlaBlaCar because it's the most affordable option. Last year in Valladolid, I slept in a convent because it was the cheapest I could find," explains Héctor Alegría, a supporter who, during the season of the last promotion, spent all his vacation days celebrating the club's success, during the best social period in its history.