La Liga's relegation race ignites as Espanyol end 143-day winless streak | Sid Lowe

"After 143 days and many more sleepless nights Manolo Gonzalez was liberated, if only for a little while. In the 92nd minute of the 19th game of 2026, something amazing happened: Espanyol won and Espanyol went wild. A goal up against Athletic Club, a late Gorka Guruzeta header had shaken them more than the post it hit, a familiar fatalism refusing to leave, and they were desperately hanging on to what they had now and had lost too many times before, whistling for this suffering to finally end, when at last they could let go."

"Ramon Terrats, a boyhood Espanyol, nodded the ball on. Kike Garcia, the only member of the squad born in the 80s and a man with a bit of the 80s about him, a 36-year-old, 6ft 1in, 12-stone striker they call the labourer of goals, a sub who had only been out there six minutes, ran on to it. Keeping his head, he guided a shot past Unai Simon so everyone else could lose theirs. The clock said 91.06. The scoreboard said 2-0."

"Espanyol's manager had been climbing the wall. As the goal went in, he climbed the bench to share this moment with the family, who are always there and who watch games from the front row right behind him. He hugged staff and players so hard he could have broken their ribs, and, tears in his eyes, empty, he thumped his chest, put his hand on his heart and blew a kiss into the crowd. Then he slumped into his seat and sobbed."

"I felt a great liberation, he said after. People don't release what the suffering has been like inside. That number in the win column had not changed since the last time Espanyol played Athletic Club five months ago, catastrophe coming ever closer. No team had ever started a year this badl"

Espanyol won 2-0 against Athletic Club with a decisive late goal. After 143 days and many sleepless nights, Manolo Gonzalez was finally liberated as the team held a one-goal lead and then added a second. Ramon Terrats nodded the ball on, and Kike Garcia, a 36-year-old striker who came on as a substitute, guided a shot past Unai Simon at 91.06. The scoreboard showed 2-0, and the league table reflected 14th place with 42 points and 11 wins. Gonzalez broke down in tears, while the manager celebrated intensely with staff, players, and family members in the front row behind him.

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