Manolo González rejects ‘tragic’ label ahead of Atlético clash

“The situation isn’t tragic, but I knew this would happen.” Manolo González gave that response to questions about Espanyol’s results ahead of the meeting with Atlético de Madrid. The coach says criticism following defeats did not catch him by surprise and insists he still trusts his team as the club looks for a positive result.

Espanyol go into the match after drawing away to Málaga and going several matchdays without a win. González hopes his players can give their supporters a victory against a side he describes as one of the competition’s most in-form teams. Espanyol beat Atlético at the RCDE Stadium last season, but the coach cautioned that past results do not determine what comes next: “Everything changes from one year to another.”

The coach spoke before the final training session and rejected the idea of a crisis. He believes the difficulties and the debate around results were foreseeable from pre-season: he knew, he said, that criticism would come when the team stopped winning. He acknowledged there were areas to improve, but stressed that the situation was not tragic. He added that he had been through this kind of spell at Espanyol before.

On the pitch, González wants his side to reproduce what it showed against Málaga, both with and without the ball. He felt Espanyol defended well and created chances, including from positional attacks and counterattacks, but regretted that those opportunities were not finished. “If we do things well, we have a chance to beat Atlético de Madrid,” he said. He noted that football can turn quickly, pointing to Real Madrid overturning a match that seemed lost in ten minutes.

Asked about his team’s place in the standings, González said Espanyol shared that position with eight other teams. He stressed that the club was not bottom and had scored in every match, while acknowledging that improvements were needed. In his view, the team continues to create attacking play and scoring opportunities.

González also confirmed that Jofre Carreras and Kike García would miss the Atlético match. The rest of the squad should be available unless something happens, and Dmitrovic will be there. The choice between him and Fortuño as the starting goalkeeper will be made on match day. González praised Fortuño’s ability and said his performance in Málaga had shown he was ready to play. As for Javi Puado, the match will help determine what he can manage, with his return to competition drawing closer.

The coach also refused to pin the defeats on one person: he sees them as a collective matter and said matches can move away from the plan. He says the group remains united and believes it can have a good season, with survival as the first objective before aiming for more. He insists his confidence in the players remains intact, despite their form varying from one match to another.

González says he understands the demands of his role and that the pressure did not begin in the week of the Elche match or in recent weeks. He also referred to the defeats in Oviedo and Girona, when that pressure was already present. He says he intends to keep working until the end of his contract. He also praised Simeone’s record at Atlético de Madrid, arguing that the club has grown through repeated Champions League qualifications and titles under his leadership.