RCD Espanyol explained

Clubname:Espanyol
Fullname:Reial Club Deportiu
Espanyol de Barcelona, S.A.D.
Short Name:RCDE
Founded:
as Sociedad Española de Football
Stadium:RCDE Stadium
Capacity:40,000[1]
Owner:Rastar Group
Chrtitle:President
Chairman:Chen Yansheng
Manager:Manolo González
Mgrtitle:Head coach
League:La Liga
Season:2023–24
Position:Segunda División, 4th of 22 (promoted)
Website:http://www.rcdespanyol.com/
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Current:2024–25 RCD Espanyol season

Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona (in Catalan; Valencian rəˈjal ˈklub dəpuɾˈtiw əspəˈɲɔl də βəɾsəˈlonə/; "Royal Spanish Sports Club of Barcelona"), commonly known as RCD Espanyol, is a Spanish professional sports club based in Cornellà, Catalonia. The club competes in La Liga, the top tier of Spanish football.

Founded in 1900 in Barcelona, Espanyol currently play their home games just outside the city at the RCDE Stadium, which holds up to 40,000 spectators. Domestically, Espanyol has won the Copa del Rey four times, most recently in 2006. In international competitions, the club reached the UEFA Cup final in 1988 and 2007. It has a long-standing rivalry with FC Barcelona.

Name

Initially known as the Sociedad Española de Football on its foundation, the name was changed to Club Español de Fútbol in 1901. In 1906, the club folded due to financial reasons and most of the players joined the X Sporting Club, which came to win the Campionat de Catalunya three times in a row before disappearing in 1908 to merge with the Spanish Jiu-Jitsu Club to be effectively relaunched as the Club Deportivo Español, and in 1910, they adopted their present-day colours. Espanyol is one of several Spanish football clubs granted patronage by the Spanish crown and thus entitled to use Real in their names and the royal crown on their badge. This right was granted to Espanyol in 1912 by Alfonso XIII and the club subsequently became known as the Real Club Deportivo Español.[2]

Following the abdication of the same king in 1931 and the declaration of the Second Spanish Republic, due to prohibition of royal symbols, the club adopted the more Catalan/republican friendly name, Club Esportiu Espanyol. After the Spanish Civil War, the name was reverted.

The club took the Catalan spelling for its name in February 1995. The word "Deportiu" in Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a Catalanised form of the original word "Deportivo" (Castilian), despite the correct word being "Esportiu" in the Catalan language. This choice was made in order to retain the initials "RCD" in the club's name.

History

Foundation and club culture

Espanyol was founded on 28 October 1900 by Ángel Rodríguez Ruiz, an engineering student at the University of Barcelona.[3] The club's original home was in the well-off district of Sarrià; Espanyol was the first club in Spain to be formed exclusively by Spanish fans of the game, with the other early clubs having links to Britain or central Europe.The club originally played in bright yellow shirts, with the colour of the shorts being left to the individual player. A friend of the club founder owned a textile business and happened to have an abundance of yellow material left over from a job. In 1910, the club changed its name to the Club Deportivo Español and at the proposal of Eduardo Corrons, the club's number one partner for many years, the club agreed to choose blue and white stripes as shirt colours and as the central colours of the club badge.[4] Blue and white were chosen in homage to the colours appearing on the shield of the great Sicilian-Aragonese Admiral Roger de Lluria, who sailed the Mediterranean protecting the interests of the Crown of Aragon in the Middle Ages.[4] The club was successful from the very beginning, winning the first Campionat de Catalunya in 1903 and subsequently playing in the first Copa del Rey in 1903.[5]

In 1906 Club Español de Football had to suspend its activities due to a lack of players, since most of them were university students who enrolled to study at universities outside Catalonia. X Sporting Club took advantage of this as most of the remaining Español players joined them, which meant a big leap in quality for the club, and as a result, the X won the Catalan championship three times in a row between 1905 and 1908, beating the likes of FC Internacional and FC Barcelona for the title.[6] This historic side had the likes of Pedro Gibert, José Irízar and Santiago Massana. It was not until 1909 that X and Español were restructured again, when several of the former university students returned to Barcelona with the idea of refounding Club Español de Football, which they achieved on 27 December 1908, when X merged with the Spanish Jiu-Jitsu Club.[6]

In the 1910s, they won the Campionat de Catalunya three times, in 1911–12, 1914–15 and 1917–18, winning later largely thanks to their backline led by Ricardo Zamora. They also reached the final of the Copa del Rey twice in 1911 and 1915, but lost to Athletic Bilbao on both occasions.[7]

In 1994, Espanyol created its reserve team, Espanyol B,[8] currently playing in the Segunda División B.

Two UEFA Cup finals (1988–2009)

Javier Clemente was hired in 1986. In his first season, he took the team to a joint-best 3rd place, qualifying for the UEFA Cup. They defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach, A.C. Milan, Inter Milan, TJ Vitkovice and Club Brugge KV to reach the final, losing on penalties to Bayer 04 Leverkusen after a 3–3 aggregate draw.[9] Two relegations followed, but the club remained in La Liga from winning the 1993–94 Segunda División until relegated at the conclusion of the 2019-20 COVID pandemic impacted season.

President from 1989 to 1993, Juli Pardo oversaw the transformation of the club into a Sociedad Anónima Deportiva.[10] In the wake of the accumulated debt, the club were forced to sell the Sarrià Stadium, which was eventually demolished in 1997.

Paco Flores' Espanyol won the 2000 Copa del Rey Final 2–1 against Atlético Madrid at Mestalla, a first cup win since 1940.[11] Six years later, under Miguel Ángel Lotina, the club won again, this time 4–1 against Real Zaragoza in Madrid, with goals by Raúl Tamudo, Luis García (two) and Coro.[12] With this cup win, Espanyol entered the UEFA Cup. They won all their group games, before dispatching Livorno, Maccabi Haifa, Benfica, and Werder Bremen to reach the final. In the final, held on 16 May at Hampden Park in Glasgow, Espanyol fell to fellow La Liga side Sevilla, losing 3–1 in a shootout following a 2–2 draw.[13] They became the only football team in UEFA Cup history to remain unbeaten in the tournament, yet not take home the trophy. Walter Pandiani, who would leave the club at the end of the season, was the UEFA Cup's top goalscorer that season. On 9 June 2007, Tamudo became Espanyol's highest-ever goalscorer after surpassing the 111 goals scored by Rafael Marañón, and ended the night with 113.

On 31 May 2009, Espanyol played its last match at the Estadio Olímpico de Montjuic, a 3–0 defeat of Málaga. Espanyol had played in the Estadi Olímpic after moving from their previous ground in Sarria. With the move, club talisman Raúl Tamudo had the unique distinction of having played in three different home stadiums with his club: Sarrià, Montjuïc and, beginning in the 2009–10 season, the Cornellà-El Prat.

Recent years (2009–present)

In January 2009, former Espanyol defender Mauricio Pochettino was hired as manager with the club in the relegation zone – his first senior job.[14] He won 2–1 against rivals Barcelona at the Camp Nou in February to help keep the club up; Barcelona, under Pep Guardiola, won the treble that season.[15]

After 12 seasons playing at the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc, Espanyol moved to the Estadi de Cornellá-El Prat. The new stadium was officially inaugurated on 2 August 2009 with a match between Espanyol and Liverpool; Espanyol won 3–0, with Luis García scoring the first goal at the ground, followed by a Ben Sahar double.[16] Six days later, Espanyol captain Daniel Jarque died from a cardiac arrest aged 26 in the Florence neighbourhood of Coverciano, where the club was at the time after playing several fixtures in Italy.[17] Since then, in the 21st minute – his former shirt number – of every Espanyol match, an ovation is made in his honour for a full minute.

After Pochettino left in 2012, the club maintained themselves in the top flight under a series of other managers. In January 2016, Chinese businessman Chen Yansheng took over the club by acquiring a 54% stake.[18] In the 2018–19 season, Espanyol finished 7th, thus returning to the Europa League for the first time since their final run in 2006–07.[19] However, the club suffered relegation for the first time since 1994 the following season, after a 1–0 loss at Barcelona.[20] [21] On 3 August 2020 the club published an official statement urging La Liga to suspend relegation; nevertheless relegation was not avoided. Espanyol won promotion back to La Liga at the first attempt on 8 May 2021 following a 0–0 draw against Zaragoza, with four matches to spare in the 42-game season.

Since 2022, Espanyol has achieved a strategic cooperation with LEYU SPORTS. And LEYU became Official Asian Partner of RCDE.[22] On 28 May 2023, Espanyol relegated to the Segunda División after two seasons in La Liga. Following a 4th Place finish in the Segunda División, the club was promoted back to La Liga following a promotion 2-0 (2-1 agg.) win against Real Oviedo on 23 June 2024.

Rivalries

El derbi barceloní

See main article: article and Derbi barceloní.

In the first half of the 20th century during the Miguel Primo de Rivera dictatorship (1923–1930), FC Barcelona was seen as a symbol of Catalan identity. This contrasted with RCD Espanyol which cultivated a kind of compliance with the central authority.[23] In 1918, the municipalities of Catalonia promoted a campaign to ask the Spanish Government for a Statute of Autonomy.FC Barcelona joined that request and the Catalan press recognized FC Barcelona as a major cultural arm of the Catalan independence movement. The city's other team, RCD Espanyol, dissociated itself from the claim due to the former's success on the European stage.[24] [25]

Today FC Barcelona is the club that is closer to the political powers in Catalonia. Its last presidents have linked the club with the Catalan independence movement and the holding of a referendum, even though this causes discomfort among some Catalan fans and those in the rest of Spain who feel neglected and think the team is biased against them.[26] Although some of RCD Espanyol's directors have expressed pro-independence stances, the club stays out of politics. It is believed that most of the team's fans are against the independence of Catalonia.[27]

On numerous occasions RCD Espanyol has complained of unfavourable and sometimes directly offensive treatment towards the club in favour of FC Barcelona by some Catalonian public media like TV3.[28] [29] [30]

Despite these differences in ideology, the derbi (derby) has always been more relevant to Espanyol supporters than those of Barcelona (who hold El Clásico in higher regard instead) due to the difference in objectives.

Though it is the most played local derby in the history of La Liga, it is also the most unbalanced, with Barcelona overwhelmingly dominant. In the league table, Espanyol has only managed to finish above Barça on three occasions in almost 70 years and the only all-Catalan Copa del Rey final was won by Barça in 1957. Espanyol has the consolation of achieving the largest margin win with a 6–0 victory in 1951.

Espanyol achieved a 2–1 win against FC Barcelona during the 2008–09 season, becoming the first team to defeat Barcelona at Camp Nou in their treble-winning season.[31]

Espanyol lost 0–1 to FC Barcelona on 8 July 2020, to be relegated to the Segunda División.[20] [21]

Stadium

See main article: article and RCDE Stadium. From 1923 until 1997, Espanyol played their home games in Estadi de Sarrià in the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district of Barcelona. In 1997, they moved to the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Montjuïc. For the beginning of the 2009–10 season, Espanyol moved into the newly constructed RCDE Stadium (also known as Estadi Cornellà-El Prat) between Cornellà de Llobregat and El Prat de Llobregat.

Competition summary

See main article: List of RCD Espanyol seasons and RCD Espanyol in European football.

Achievements

Honours

Men's football

National

League

Cups

Regional

League

See main article: article and RCD Espanyol (women).

Cups

Players

Reserve team

See main article: RCD Espanyol B.

Retired numbers

See main article: article and List of retired numbers in association football.

Notes

Players with most appearances

NameYearsLa LigaSegunda DivisiónCopa del ReyCopa de la LigaUEFA CupOtherTotal
1 Raúl Tamudo1996–201034026149[42] 389
2 Antonio Argilés1950–196430114[43] 384[44] 357
3 José María1965–19762693133211[45] 346
4 Thomas N'Kono1982–199024133[46] 301910333
5 Mauricio Pochettino1994–200627530132[47] 320
6 Fernando Molinos1974–19842644366319
7 Manuel Zúñiga1979–198825929189315
8 Marañón1974–19832614346314
9 Arteaga1993–20032382832102[48] 310
10 Diego Orejuela1982–199121633[49] 271512303
Notes

Coaches

Club officials

[50]

Current technical staff

RoleNameAppointed
Manager Manolo GonzálezMar 12, 2024
Assistant managers Luis BlancoMar 12, 2024
Fitness coach Dani Parra Jul 1, 2021
Goalkeeping coach Iñigo ArteagaJul 4, 2023
Analyst Igor Labaien
David Llobet
-
Club doctor Narciso Amigó
Quique Pérez
-
Physiotherapist Adrià García
Albert Torner
Daniel Marco
Francesc Soriano
Carles Busquets
-
Nutritionist Robert Bausells-
Kit man Ángel Inac
Víctor Ruiz
Oscar Busquet
-
Delegate Guillem Calzón-

Board of directors

RoleName
Owner Rastar Group
President Chen Yansheng
Vice president Wang Hongyuan
Board Secretary Jorge Sarró Riu
Board Vice Secretary Iñaki Frías Inchausti
Board of Directors
Business and Coordination Director Mao Yewu
Sport General Area Manager Óscar Perarnau Figueras
CEO José María Durán
Professional Football Director Francisco Rufete
Professional Football Management Raúl Tamudo
Academy director Luis Vicente Mateo
Femenino Football Director Raquel Cabezón
Femenino Sporting Director Francisca Camúñez Moreno
Head of medical services Manolo González Postigo
Marketing and Commercial Director Antoni Alegre Puzo
Financial Director Joan Fitó Pardo
Chief Communications Officer Agustín Rodríguez Mas
Social area Director Alberto Ariza Navarro
Head of Ciutat Esportiva Dani Jarque's Schools
and Academies
Eloy Pérez García
Stadium Director Josep Toldrà Alegret
Office manager Olga Moscatel Vivet
Administration and human resources manager Laura Carranza
Security Director Antoni Guerra Rojas
Telecommunications Director Ángel Rojas Gómez
Business Coordination and Expansion in Asia Senon Chen

Presidents

DatesName
1900–02 Àngel Rodríguez
1902–06 José María Miró
1906–09no activities
1909 Julià Clapera
1909–10 Àngel Rodríguez
1910–11 Evelio Doncos
1911–12 José Gaspar Hardoy
1912–13 Santiago de la Riva
1913–14 Alfonso Ardura
1914–15 José Gaspar Hardoy
DatesName
1915–18 José María Bernadas
1918–19
1919–20
1920–22
1922–22 Eusebio Fernández Muñiz
1922–24 Victorià de la Riva
1924–25
1925–30
1930–31
1931–33 Javier de Salas
DatesName
1933–42
1942–47 Francisco Román Cenarro
1947–48 José Salas Painello
1948–58 Francisco Javier Sáenz
1958–60 Frederic Marimón Grifell
1960–62 Victorià de la Riva
1962–63 Cesáreo Castilla Delgado
1963–67 Josep Fusté Noguera
1967–69 Juan Vilá
1969–70 Josep Fusté Noguera
DatesName
1970–82 Manuel Meler
1982–89 Antonio Baró
1989 Ferran Martorell
1989–93 Julio Pardo
1993–97 Francisco Perelló
1997–11 Daniel Sánchez Llibre
2011–12 Ramon Condal
2012–16 Juan Collet
2016– Chen Yansheng

Historical departments of RCD Espanyol

Until the 1990s, Espanyol had several sporting sections. In March 2017, the Association of Supporters and Shareholders of RCD Espanyol boosted a project for recovering the sporting sections of the club, but this time without any economic link with the football team. The new multi-sports club was created with the name of Seccions Deportives Espanyol (Sporting sections Espanyol).[51]

Two months later, the association confirmed that Espanyol would start competing in the 2017–18 season, with a roller hockey team and women's volleyball teams.[52] In the next season, the basketball section was refounded and a new section of handball would be created.

Men's basketball

See main article: article and RCD Espanyol (basketball).

Winners (1): 1941

Winners (2): 1931, 1932

Runners-up (3): 1941, 1943, 1954

Women's basketball

Winners (1): 1943

Runners-up (1): 1944

Men's rink hockey

See main article: RCD Espanyol Hoquei.

Winners (11): 1944, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1961, 1962

Runners-up (4): 1946, 1952, 1953, 1958

Women's volleyball

See main article: article and RCD Espanyol (volleyball).

Winners (3): 1985, 1988, 1991

Winners (5): 1984, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1992

Men's baseball

Winners (2): 1946, 1953

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://twitter.com/i/events/1272855920821760001?from_editor=true RCDE Stadium
  2. Web site: History . RCD Espanyol . 27 January 2018 .
  3. Web site: Homenage a Ángel Rodríguez . Tribute to Angel Rodriguez . es . www.rcdespanyol.com . 28 October 2019 . 20 April 2024 .
  4. Web site: Por qué el Espanyol se llamó Español . Why Espanyol was called Spanish . es . as.com . 8 February 2018 . 20 April 2024 .
  5. Web site: Spain - Cup 1903 . 13 January 2000 . 20 April 2024 .
  6. Web site: Nou Velòdrom de Barcelona . Clearing the equation: the role of Club X in the founding of RCD Espanyol de Barcelona (1902 – 1909) . Chiefe . 16 September 2021 . 27 July 2022 .
  7. Web site: Spain - Cup 1915 . 19 January 2000 . . 28 July 2022 .
  8. Web site: Squad of Espanyol B 1994-95 Tercera División . 2022-12-09 . www.bdfutbol.com.
  9. News: El Espanyol tocó la gloria ante el Bayer Leverkusen. Espanyol touched glory against Bayer Leverkusen. 28 February 2020 . Mundo Deportivo . 4 May 2013 . es.
  10. Web site: Mor Juli Pardo, expresident de l'Espanyol. 11 May 2018. ca. Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals.
  11. News: Segurola . Santiago . El Espanyol se corona en Mestalla. Espanyol crowned in Mestalla . 28 February 2020 . El País . 28 May 2000 . es.
  12. News: El Espanyol conquista su cuarta Copa del Rey . Espanyol win their fourth Copa del Rey. 28 February 2020 . El Mundo . 12 April 2006 . es.
  13. Web site: Palop ensures cup joy for Sevilla. uefa.com. 17 May 2007.
  14. News: Pochettino replaces luckless Mané at Espanyol . 28 February 2020 . UEFA . 20 January 2009.
  15. News: Bate . Adam . How Mauricio Pochettino's Espanyol beat Pep Guardiola's Barcelona . 28 February 2020 . Sky Sports . 1 October 2016.
  16. News: Collins . Ben . Reds suffer pain in Spain . 28 February 2020 . 2 August 2009.
  17. Web site: Espanyol stunned by Jarque death. BBC. 8 August 2009.
  18. News: New Espanyol owner aiming for Champions League within three years . The Guardian . 22 January 2016.
  19. News: Gillingham . Geoff . Friendly Europa League draw for Sevilla, Getafe and Espanyol . 28 February 2020 . Marca . 30 August 2019.
  20. Web site: Calum . Roche . Barcelona keep title race alive as they relegate rivals Espanyol. 9 July 2020. Diario AS.
  21. Web site: Espanyol slip away to Barcelona's tune but the silence will sting too . The Guardian. Sid Lowe. 9 July 2020.
  22. Web site: 乐鱼与西班牙人达成战略合作,共创数字体育新潮流 - IT之家 . 2022-12-02 . www.ithome.com.
  23. Web site: European football cultures and their integration: the 'short' Twentieth Century. March 2002. 1 July 2009. Europa (web portal). Missiroli. Antonio.
  24. Web site: In troubled times, FC Barcelona defines modern Catalonia. Jimmy. Burns. November 6, 2017. POLITICO.
  25. Web site: FC Barcelona, more than a club. www.barcelona.de.
  26. News: El Barça cae en su trampa con el tuit de la vergüenza de Bartomeu. Temprano. Alejandra. 2016-01-11. esdiario.es. 2017-06-17.
  27. Web site: Joan Collet: "Vamos a dar guerra al Madrid". MARCA.com. 2015-09-10. MARCA.com. es. 2017-06-17.
  28. News: El Espanyol "exige" la retirada de la campaña 'Si sientes el Barça, sientes Cataluña'. ELMUNDO. 2017-06-17. es.
  29. News: Ensenyament retira un texto ofensivo con el Espanyol. BARCELONA. SERGI LÓPEZ-EGEA /. 2016-03-03. El Periódico. 2017-06-17. es.
  30. News: El Espanyol y el Joventut denuncian pensamiento único en Cataluña. Economiadigital (ed. general). 2017-06-18.
  31. Web site: How Mauricio Pochettino's Espanyol beat Pep Guardiola's Barcelona. skysports.com. 1 October 2016.
  32. News: Il Milan è già disperato. Licia Granello. la Repubblica. October 22, 1987. 25. it.
  33. News: Un Milan senza attacco Una partita senza storia. Licia Granello. la Repubblica. November 5, 1987. 33. it.
  34. News: Ma l' Inter soffre ancora. Gianni Mura. la Repubblica. November 26, 1987. 23. it.
  35. News: L' Inter perde l' ultima chance. Gianni Mura. la Repubblica. December 10, 1987. 23. it.
  36. News: Finale UEFA Tre gol dell' Espanyol. la Repubblica. May 5, 1988. 33. it.
  37. News: Coppa UEFA Il Bayer vince ai rigori. la Repubblica. May 19, 1988. 23. it.
  38. Web site: Spain – List of Second Division Champions . . 9 April 2016.
  39. Web site: Spain – List of Cup Finals . . 9 April 2016.
  40. Web site: Spain – List of Champions of Catalonia. RSSSF. 17 February 2017.
  41. Web site: El Espanyol gana la Supercopa. Espanyol win the Supercup. Mundo Deportivo. Roger Torelló. 25 October 2016. 6 May 2018.
  42. 6 appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup and 3 appearances in Supercopa de España
  43. All appearances in La Liga relegation play-offs
  44. All appearances in Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
  45. 8 appearances in Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and 3 appearances in Intertoto Cup
  46. Including 2 appearances in La Liga relegation play-offs
  47. All appearances in Supercopa de España
  48. All appearances in Supercopa de España
  49. Including 2 appearances in La Liga relegation play-offs and 1 appearance in La Liga promotion play-offs
  50. Web site: Teams. RCD Espanyol.
  51. Web site: Pericos sobre ruedas. es. 15 March 2017. 26 May 2017. La Vanguardia.
  52. Web site: Reneix el gegant adormit. L'Esportiu de Catalunya. ca. 26 May 2017. 26 May 2017.