Espanyol's 143-day winless streak ended dramatically on Wednesday evening, as a stoppage-time goal from Kike García secured a 2-0 victory over Athletic Club. The result, which came after 18 matches without a win, reignites La Liga's relegation race, with just three points separating 12th and 19th place.
Emotional Release for Manolo González
Espanyol manager Manolo González broke down in tears after the final whistle. "I felt a great liberation," he said. "People don't release what the suffering has been like inside." The Catalan club had not won since their previous meeting with Athletic Club five months ago, a run that saw them slide from fifth to the brink of relegation.
González, who previously worked as a bus driver, described the period as "almost the worst of my life, after the death of my uncle." His emotional celebration included hugging staff and players, thumping his chest, and blowing a kiss to the crowd.
Key Moments in the Match
Ramon Terrats nodded the ball on before Kike García, a 36-year-old substitute who had only been on the pitch for six minutes, guided a shot past Unai Simón in the 92nd minute. Pere Milla had earlier scored a superb volley to put Espanyol ahead. The win lifted them to 14th place with 42 points, but they remain far from safe.
Tight Relegation Battle
Ernesto Valverde, Athletic Club's coach, admitted he was worried his team could still go down. The relegation fight is one of the tightest in memory: with two games remaining, 13 teams could mathematically be relegated. Levante, who spent six months in the relegation zone, climbed out after a 3-2 win, only to slip back in after Sevilla's victory. Sevilla themselves rose from the relegation zone to 10th in three days after a 3-2 comeback win at Villarreal.
Alavés kept their first clean sheet in 20 games against Barcelona, while Espanyol watched in terror as others won before finally securing their own victory. The table shows Girona, Levante, Mallorca, and Elche all on 39 points, with Alavés on 40 and Espanyol, Valencia, and Osasuna on 42.
What's Next?
González hopes the win provides a "huge shot of energy" for the final games. "Tonight we lifted a huge weight off our backs," he said. "Maybe tonight I can sleep right through, the way God intended." But with the relegation battle still wide open, Espanyol cannot afford to relax. As Milla noted: "It's a relief to win, but we haven't done anything yet."
