By the time the floodlights of the RCDE Stadium flicker to life on Sunday night at 21:00 CEST, the entire footballing ecosystem of Catalonia will be h...
By the time the floodlights of the RCDE Stadium flicker to life on Sunday night at 21:00 CEST, the entire footballing ecosystem of Catalonia will be holding its breath. Espanyol, the proud residents of this corner of Barcelona, find themselves in a most uncomfortable position. They host the reigning champions Real Madrid in a fixture where the mathematics of the title race takes a backseat to the raw, gnawing reality of survival. A mere five points separate Los Pericos from the yawning chasm of the relegation zone, and as such, even the lion's share of possession against a wounded Madrid side must translate into points. The powers that be at the Estadi Cornella. El Prat know that any dropped point here hands the league trophy to their city rivals, a bitter pill for any supporter to swallow. But in the scheme of things, self preservation takes precedence over local pride. Real Madrid arrive with their own burdens. Fourteen points adrift of Barcelona, their title defence is a wreckage in the rearview mirror. Yet Carlo Ancelotti, the ever stoic Italian, is not a man for hand wringing. Word reaching our GoalZaza desk suggests a tactical shake up is on the cards. The name on every lip in the away dressing room is Gonzalo Garcia. The young forward, a product of the famed La Fabrica, is tipped for a rare starting berth. With injuries and suspensions nibbling at his squad, Ancelotti may just roll the dice and trust the boy to provide a clinical edge from the opening whistle. It is a gamble that could either ignite a spark or fizzle under the pressure. The visitors will need to be resilient, their defensive stalwarts like Antonio Rudiger facing a formidable Espanyol frontline that will not roll over. The visitors must give a good account of themselves if they wish to avoid further embarrassment. Nigerian eyes will be watching keenly for any hint of influence from our own Super Eagles stars plying their trade across Europe, though none are directly involved in this weekend's clash. However, the ambition remains the same. Real Madrid will attempt to stamp their authority on the pitch with their quick passing and relentless movement. Espanyol however, are at their most dangerous when backed into a corner. Expect a battle of wills, a game of high tension where every tackle is a statement and every goal a lifeline. At the end of the day, this is La Liga football at its rawest: pride versus necessity. Back home in Lagos, the tension will be palpable at the popular viewing centres in Surulere and Lekki. When Sergio Ramos, now an Espanyol man, steps onto the turf, you can be sure the loudest cheers will come from patrons wearing the white of Madrid who still hold him dear. As for the young Garcia, should he score, the shouts from Ojuelegba would be enough to drown out the traffic. The arguments over who is the next big thing from Spain will spill over into the night, with plenty of agbada clad uncles insisting the boy is no Raul. It is the kind of passion that makes La Liga weekends in Nigeria a unique, beautiful chaos. You cannot buy such atmosphere; you simply have to live it.
