Pere Milla and Kike García provide Espanyol's catharsis

Cornellá de LlobregatManolo González's cry was more of liberation than joy. Almost of redemption. With the 2-0 in stoppage time, the blue and white coach burst into tears. A victory at last. A purgative triumph that ended 142 long days of penance. The goals from Pere Milla and Kike García broke a streak of almost five months without a win for the periquitos and scared away the ghost of relegation that was nipping at their heels. They now have 42 points. It's not definitive, but yesterday they took a giant step towards survival.

Monchi and the butterfly effect

Monchi, the new general sports director for the Periquitos, also celebrated on the pitch at the end of the match. His signing for Espanyol, much applauded, caused a butterfly effect culminating in the magical night against Athletic, a white and blue catharsis just as it was the 20th anniversary of Corominas' goal against Real. The most important thing in the history of a club too accustomed to suffering. Just ask its fans, who have gone from looking for European flights on Ryanair to losing sleep because of a goal from Levante in Balaídos. They will say that evenings like yesterday's justify everything.

And that's not to say that Athletic came to Barcelona to take it easy. The Basques, who in 2015 thwarted the first great night at the RCDE Stadium – they eliminated Espanyol in the Copa semifinals – were fighting for European qualification. Ahead, the need for an Espanyol. Carlos Romero, with a strong shot that Unai Simón deflected with a great save, and Roberto, with a malicious spur touch, ignited the spirits of the Periquitos.

Spanish is made of glass

The game started on the right foot for the Catalans who, with more drive than football, were far superior to an overwhelmed Athletic Club. A goal seemed to be a matter of time, but a strategic play undid the periquitos. Luck was with the crossbar and Urko González, who thwarted the 0-1 just before halftime. And with Cabrera, who in the last play of the first half, deflected a shot from Unai Gómez that crashed against the post of Dmitrovic, already beaten. How fragile this team is.As the minutes passed, nerves began to surface and the invisible backpack that Espanyol carries since the end of 2025 became heavier and heavier. Tension was also palpable in the stadium, while bad news from other fields arrived via radio. One thing is clear: if Espanyol survives, it will be by its own merits. And this forced them to win again, which is why Manolo brought on Jofre and Pere Milla. It paid off, because the iconic striker from Lleida was the hero. The white-and-blue top scorer anticipated the visiting defense to push a great cross from Carlos Romero into the net with 20 minutes left. It caused delirium in the RCDE Stadium, which went wild as rarely seen. A header by Guruzeta against the post instilled fear in the hearts of the 30,000 fans who sang even louder about Kike García's 2-0 in stoppage time and, like Manolo, shouted with relief at the final whistle. More than one also shed tears. It is a day that will be remembered for years at Espanyol.