RCD Espanyol

[Pat Murphy]

City/Province: Barcelona, Catalunya
Stadium: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys
Capacity: 55,926
Club Founded: 1900
Manager: Ernesto Valverde
Nickname: Periquitos (Parakeets), Blanquiazules (White and Blues)

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Espanyol have signed Argentinian defender Clemente Rodriguez from Spartak Moscow.

The Liga side have paid €2.5million (£1.7million) for the 25-year-old stopper.

Rodriguez has penned a four-year deal with the Barcelona-based outfit.

He joined the Russian club in the 2003/04 season, but re-joined Boca Juniors on loan after failing to settle.

Rodriguez, who helped Argentina win a gold medal in the 2004 summer Olympics, will now hope to shine in Spain.

Source: Skysports

[DavidMc]

could work out to be good business for Espanyol. Good experienced player, didnt have to pay too much either.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Yeah, he's a good signing for a good fee.

[Pat Murphy]

Espanyol win the Trofeo Cuitat de Barcelona after beating Olympiakos 3-2, goals from Tamudo and 2 from Luis Garcia.

[Trim]

David García is staying calm after being diagnosed with hepatitis A and is not looking forward to doing pre-season training all over again when he recovers.

The Espanyol defender does not know where he picked up the disease that affects the liver, but is hopeful that he will be able to shake it off quickly.

"I am staying calm and feel stronger," he said. "It was a scare that I did not expect, but it is something that can happen and I have to recover now.

"One thing I mjust do is lreax about it and rest well, although I am feeling reasonable.

"I am on a strict diet where I cannot east many things, including anything greasy or any dairy products."

The 26-year-old is to undergo further tests and he is hopeful that improvements will be seen and that he can look ahead to returning to training.

"We expect the latest results to be lower, because the last ones showed that I had a level of 4,000 and that they should be around 40.

"Everyone at the club has been calling me and telling me to stay calm and that I will recover little-by-little."

Once he is given a clean bill of heath, García knows that he will have to perform pre-season training once again in order to play again.

"It is a real pity because I was very excited about starting the new season," he concluded.

Goal.com - Spain - David García Diagnosed With Hepatitis

[henry14]

Several experienced player were being injured so the result of initial matches are so disappointed. Maybe the coach should be attempted other strategies for the games before the player will be recovered.

[Super Pibe #7]

V

Date:September 16, Sunday
Time: 17:00
Stadium : Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys


Previous meetings
Liga 06/07: Espanyol 1 - 5 Getafe
Copa 05/06: Espanyol 3 - 3 Getafe
Liga 05/06: Espanyol 0 - 2 Getafe
Liga 04/05: Espanyol 2 -0 Getafe


Espanyol in the past 2 seasons have struggled against getafe, but that was under schusters reign and he is gone, along with the likes of alexis etc.

Laudrup hasn't had the best of starts with a 4-1 hammering against sevilla on the first matchday and then a draw against recreativo.But espanyol as well haven't had the best of starts, with a 1-0 loss to newly promoted valladolid and a 2-2 draw against betis in the second matchday.

Going to be a tight game, the attacking duo of tamudo/garcia may just win espanyol this game.

[Super Pibe #7]

Sorry for the very late update you guys.


Espanyol 1 -0 Getafe
Jonathan(88)

Didn’t see this game, but a good win for espanyol. They lost 5-1 to getafe last season and this will give them confidence.

Though it seems like when granero got sent off the game swung in the favour of espanyol. Well what else can we expect from a real Madrid youth player, he has been locked up in castilla for too long and got too excited when seeing la liga players

Getafe have a good side, but they haven’t made a good start to the season and this may affect their form.

Think uefa cup will really ruin them this season.

[Super Pibe #7]

1-0

__________________________________________Tamudo(45)

Deportivo completely dominated this game and should've won. But instead they end up losing to a side who only had 3 good chances, but unlike depor they were able to capitalise on them.

Whilst Xisco, Lafita and Guardado all missed great chances.Things don't look well for depor who are third from bottom and only have 5 points. They will also face the hardest challenge since their downfall.

Their next 3 games are

Sevilla, Valencia, Madrid

Going to be tough,but depor always pull through. But losing to recreativo/almeria will be their downfall imo.

Guardado looks amazing though.

[Pat Murphy]

It's been a good season so far for Espanyol, they're in 5th place with 22 points. They'll be looking to follow up their 2006 Copa del Rey and 2007 UEFA Cup Final with a strong league finish and another good cup run.

Their manager is Ernesto Valverde who is called "the ant" due to being a midget and that him and his teams are always hard-working. He's been linked with the Barcelona job over the last few weeks.

[Pat Murphy]

Valverde: Mercenary-Free Squad Means Top Four Place For Espanyol

Ernesto Valverde has looked back on a successful 2007, hoping for more of the same next year...

Espanyol finish the 2007 component of the current season in fine fettle, with 33 points - just one off second place side Barcelona - in the bag, and a host of scalps in their wake.

"If we talk only about footballing matters, I can only say that this has been a fantastic year," said Valverde of 2007.

"The team's always looked good and the results, in general, have been great as well.

"We've always played attractive football and I think that the fans appreciate it."

By being in the top four, Espanyol are in the Champions League places, although the manager is keen to point out that there is still a long way to go.

"If we finish third, and took a place in next year's competition, it's because we deserve it," he continued.

"It's like everything - some teams are better and some are worse. But nobody's given us anything and we've earned these 33 by ourselves.

"People say it's down to Sevilla and Valencia slipping up? No way. In fact, that only enhances the merits of the team. It shows that we're doing well and establishing regularity, which is very tough in football today."

While the coach wouldn't commit to an end of season target of Champions League football, he did admit that it would be a fine end to the season.

"I must be honest and say that I do dream if the Champions League, but the important thing is to continue down this path, as it's brought us a long way," he urged.

Some of Espanyol's current drive to succeed may result from the fact that the manager and much of the squad are eager to avenge their 2007 UEFA Cup Final defeat.

"I don't know when we'll be able to overcome that loss," he admitted, "but what I can say is that I will never forget the unique experience that we had in Glasgow.

"It created a very special bond between the players, the club, and it also created - above all - passion. The fans were wonderful and showed us a lot.

"It's true that we lost the final, but the club strengthened its image. The squad did too. It just convinced us that we were growing."

Goal.com

Goal.com - Spain - Valverde: Mercenary-Free Squad Means Top Four Place For Espanyol


Excellent 2007 for Espanyol and Valverde. A UEFA Cup Final and now finishing the year in 3rd place.

[Pat Murphy]

Goal.com - La Liga - Kameni Ready To Quit Espanyol - Agent

Kameni says he wants to leave Espanyol. He's available for just 6m euros (£4m) due to a low buy-out clause. Man Utd and Spurs are being linked with him.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Espanyol - Zaragoza 1-1 (0-0). E: Albert Riera (60). Z: Ricardo Oliveira (str. 85).

[Daniel24]

Espanyol promote Marquez to replace Valverde as coach

MADRID, June 2 (Reuters) - Bartolome ‘Tintin’ Marquez is to be promoted from within to coach Espanyol next season, the Primera Liga club said on Monday.

The 46-year-old former Espanyol player has been in the coaching team at the Barcelona-based side since 1999. He has been the assistant to Miguel Angel Lotina and then Ernesto Valverde over the past four seasons.

“It was a unanimous decision of the board after listening to the technical valuation of the sports director,” CEO Pedro Tomas told the club’s Web site (www.rcdespanyol.com).

“It will ensure the continuity of our policy of developing youth-teamers and other young players who want to succeed at Espanyol.”

Marquez replaces Valverde who quit to join Greek side Olympiakos Piraeus last week. Espanyol finished 12th in the standings last month. (Writing by Mark Elkington; Editing by John Mehaffey)

Espanyol promote Marquez to replace Valverde as coach - World Soccer - Yahoo! Sports