Revolution in sight at Espanyol in full fight to avoid relegation

Espanyol is playing for its life this Saturday (4:15 PM) at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. With a three-point cushion over the relegation zone and after 17 consecutive matches without a win, a record for the start of a year in La Liga, they visit Sevilla's ground in a dramatic survival duel. The Andalusians, also in a very delicate moment, are two points behind the Periquitos and, in case of victory, could make salvation very difficult for the white-and-blues. It would be the third relegation in six years for the Catalan club.

The week leading up to the match is marked by the news of the highly probable signing of Ramón Rodríguez Verdejo, better known as Monchi, for Espanyol. The architect of Sevilla's most successful history witnessed live Espanyol-Real Madrid last Sunday at Cornellà-El Prat from one of the stadium's private boxes. Television captured the image and rumors began to fly. Also present at the ground was Alan Pace, owner of the Periquito club. The American wants Monchi to lead the sporting department starting next summer and is in negotiations with the Andalusian sporting director.

Monchi says yes to Pace

As advanced by Mundo Deportivo and confirmed by ARA, Monchi is open to arriving in Barcelona and has reportedly already said yes to Alan Pace. He would arrive with some collaborators, including Fernando Navarro, whom he already had under his command at Sevilla. However, Monchi's signing for Espanyol is neither signed nor definitive by any means.

Among other clauses, it is subject to the team's permanence in the First Division, which could be secured with a victory at the Sánchez-Pizjuán, the home of the team that the man from San Fernando idolizes and with whom he has been linked in recent days. According to the aforementioned media, Monchi, who stopped being director of operations at Aston Villa in September, could combine his role at Espanyol with the presidency of San Fernando, the Tercera RFEF club he currently manages.

Espanyol's current sporting director is Fran Garagarza, who is still recovering from the heart attack he suffered in November. He is part of a sports committee in which Sergio Ortega, the coordinator; Alexander Rosen, an external sporting advisor to the ownership; Unai Ezcurra, director of processes and big data, who has taken on some of Garagarza's duties in his absence; and the majority shareholder, Alan Pace, also have their say. Since the scare, Garagarza has lost a lot of influence in sporting decisions; in fact, if it were up to him, Manolo González would have been dismissed weeks ago. He has also had some disagreements with the new management of youth football.

Bordalás is liked by Monchi

Alan Pace's modus operandi, who is not one for sacking his coaches –he hasn't done so with Burnley's, despite their relegation to the Championship–, indicates that Manolo González will finish the season on the Espanyol bench. But what happens from June onwards is another story. The Galician coach has a contract for an automatic renewal until 2027 if Espanyol achieves permanence, but it remains to be seen if both parties agree to extend the link because in recent weeks the relationship between the club, its environment, the fans, and Manolo, who has acted as coach, spokesperson, and punching bag, has been very strained. "I ask that if I am here it be because people want me here, that I be a figure of unity and not of disagreement," he said a few months ago.

According to SPORT,

Monchi would take on the role of general sports director, above Garagarza, and in the event of not reaching an agreement with Manolo González, the chosen one to replace him on the Cornellà-El Prat bench could be José Bordalás. The Alicante coach, who will not renew with Getafe, is very much to the Andalusian's liking. All of this would be a change of direction in the management of Pace, who is awaiting permanence to build the Espanyol of the future.