Espanyol Team News - Soccer

Angel Fortuno - Five saves in another start Fortuno had five saves and allowed one goal in Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid.

Impact Fortuno went into the weekend unsure of his place after coach Manolo Gonzalez refused to name his goalkeeper in the build up, but he got the nod for a second consecutive league start even with Marko Dmitrovic fit again. That decision was quickly put to the test as Atletico Madrid took control of the ball and pinned Espanyol back, and the goalkeeper rose to it with five saves to keep the visitors out for most of the afternoon. That resistance held until the closing stages, when Alex Baena finally found a way past him. It was a cruel end to a display that strengthened his claim to the shirt, and after strong outings at Malaga and here, Fortuno could have the edge over Dmitrovic in the coming weeks.

13 HOURS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Vanja Drkusic - Forced off with physical discomfort Drkusic (undisclosed) was forced off in the 63rd minute of Saturday's La Liga clash against Atletico Madrid after experiencing physical discomfort during the second half. The defen...

Impact Drkusic was handed a starting role in Espanyol's five-man defensive setup against Atletico Madrid, lining up alongside Clemens Riedel and Leandro Cabrera before being forced to leave the pitch with the score still 0-0 in the 63rd minute. The Slovenian center-back began experiencing discomfort during the second half and was unable to continue, raising concerns about his fitness after he had also been substituted in the 64th minute of Slovenia's recent international match against Scotland. It remains unclear whether the two incidents are related, and further medical assessments will be needed to determine the extent of his latest issue. Should Drkusic be required to miss time, Unai Nunez could benefit from additional opportunities in central defense, having been called upon to replace him Saturday.

1 DAY AGO • ROTOWIRE

Marko Dmitrovic - Fit for Atletico Madrid clash Dmitrovic is available for Saturday's La Liga clash against Atletico Madrid after recovering from a back injury, according to coach Manolo Gonzalez, per L'Esportiu de Catalunya.

Impact Dmitrovic has recovered from the back issue that prevented him from training ahead of Espanyol's previous matchup against Malaga. The Serbian goalkeeper was replaced by Angel Fortuno after failing to participate in any training sessions during the week, with Gonzalez unwilling to risk starting him without adequate preparation. Fortuno delivered an impressive performance in his absence, earning praise from the manager despite conceding a late goal. Dmitrovic had been Espanyol's regular starter before the setback, conceding 10 goals while keeping two clean sheets across seven La Liga appearances this season. His return to fitness puts him back in contention for the starting role Saturday, although Fortuno's strong showing could give coach Gonzalez a selection decision to make.

2 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Andoni Gorosabel - Available to face Atletico Madrid Gorosabel is available for Saturday's La Liga clash against Atletico Madrid, according to coach Manolo Gonzalez, per L'Esportiu de Catalunya.

Impact Gorosabel returns to contention after being left out of Espanyol's squad for the previous matchup against Malaga. The defender's absence had not been accompanied by any official injury announcement, leaving uncertainty over whether his omission was related to fitness or a tactical decision. Gonzalez's latest update confirms that Gorosabel is available for Saturday's contest, although his involvement remains uncertain given that he has yet to make a competitive appearance this season. The defender will hope to earn his first minutes of the 2026/27 campaign, but a place in the starting lineup appears unlikely considering his lack of playing time.

2 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Kike Garcia - Resumes training on grass Kike (hamstring) returned to individual training on the grass Thursday for the first time since undergoing surgery Aug. 5 on his right biceps femoris tendon, although he remains si...

Impact Kike has been recovering from a serious hamstring injury sustained during preseason, with his initial recovery timeline estimated at three to four months following surgery. Thursday's return to field work represents an important milestone in his rehabilitation, but the veteran striker still has several stages to complete before rejoining his teammates and becoming available for selection. The 36-year-old recorded eight goals and one assist across 37 La Liga appearances last season, including 17 starts, establishing himself as an important attacking option for Espanyol. Roberto Fernandez and Alex Calatrava should continue benefiting from additional opportunities while Kike works toward his eventual return, with no updated timetable provided for his competitive comeback.

3 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Jofre Carreras - Resumes individual field work Carreras returned to individual training on the grass Thursday as he continues recovering from a right adductor injury, although he has yet to rejoin his Espanyol teammates ahead o...

Impact Carreras has missed Espanyol's recent matches against Elche and Malaga due to persistent groin discomfort, despite initially being considered available for the latter fixture. The winger took another step forward in his recovery Thursday by completing individual exercises on the training pitch at the Dani Jarque training facility, but he remains outside full team activities. Having made just three La Liga appearances this season amid recurring fitness concerns, Carreras will need to demonstrate further progress before receiving medical clearance. His involvement against Atletico Madrid appears unlikely given his continued absence from team training, although no definitive return date has been established.

3 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Jofre Carreras - Working toward return Carreras (groin) ultimately missed Friday's clash against Malaga despite being declared available beforehand and was spotted working hard on his recovery Tuesday, the club posted.

Impact Carreras continues to work toward regaining full fitness after dealing with groin discomfort that also kept him out of the clash against Elche before the international break. Although coach Manolo Gonzalez had indicated the midfielder was available for the trip to Malaga, he ultimately did not feature. Carreras has made just three La Liga appearances this season due to recurring fitness concerns, and his latest training activity suggests he is making progress toward a return. However, his availability for Saturday's clash against Atletico remains uncertain until he resumes full team training.

5 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Angel Fortuno - Six saves in first start Fortuno had six saves and allowed one goal in Friday's 1-1 draw against Malaga.

Impact Fortuno stepped in for his first start of the season after Marko Dmitrovic spent the week struggling with back discomfort, and the goalkeeper gave Espanyol plenty of security at Malaga. He made six saves from inside the box and four high claims as the hosts pushed hard after the break, and he was beaten only by a powerful Adrian Nino finish deep into stoppage time that denied Espanyol the win. Dmitrovic had started each of the first seven league games and is expected to return once he trains normally again, but Fortuno has given his coach something to think about.

6 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Bryan Zaragoza - Scores first goal for Espanyol Bryan Zaragoza scored one goal to go with one shot (one on goal) and one chance created in Friday's 1-1 draw versus Malaga. In addition, he was given a yellow card in the 28th minu...

Impact Zaragoza opened his Espanyol account in the draw at Malaga, where he made his second consecutive start. He backed that up with one chance created and three tackles, which takes him to three shots and two chances created from his two starts.

6 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Marko Dmitrovic - Misses start with back injury Dmitrovic was left out of the starting XI for Friday's clash against Malaga after suffering a back injury that prevented him from training during the week, according to coach Manol...

Impact Dmitrovic was replaced by Angel Fortuno after dealing with a back issue throughout the week, with manager Gonzalez opting against starting the Serbian goalkeeper without any training sessions under his belt. Fortuno delivered an impressive performance and earned praise from the manager, who described his display as flawless despite conceding a late goal. Dmitrovic had been Espanyol's regular starter this season, conceding 10 goals while keeping two clean sheets across his first seven La Liga appearances. His availability for the next match remains uncertain, while Fortuno could retain the starting role if Dmitrovic is unable to resume training.

OCTOBER 10 • ROTOWIRE

Early season runs grind to a halt as Lyon loses at Lens and Dortmund held by Bremen

Lens has ended Lyon’s unbeaten start to Ligue 1 with goals from Florian Sotoca and Matthieu Udol in a 2-1 victory

OCTOBER 9 • Associated Press

MÁLAGA CF 1 - 1 RCD ESPANYOL | RESUMEN LALIGA EA SPORTS

OCTOBER 9 • YOUTUBE

Javi Puado - Named to bench Puado (knee) is on the bench for Friday's match against Malaga.

Impact Puado was expected to return Friday and has made the team sheet, with the attacker on the bench to face Espanyol. This gives the attacker his first chance of time this season, having yet to play. He only played 10 matches last season due to injuries, so he will look to remain fit, still scoring two goals last campaign despite the minimal time on the field.

OCTOBER 9 • ROTOWIRE

Andoni Gorosabel - Out to face Malaga Gorosabel is out for Friday's match against Malaga, according to his club.

Impact Gorosabel has been left out of the team sheet Friday despite no notice of the injury, with the defender not announced as out until the starting XI was released. This leaves some questions as to whether it is an injury stopping him or just a tactical choice. That said, he hasn't appeared once all season, more than likely a tactical choice.

OCTOBER 9 • ROTOWIRE

Espanyol vs. Malaga CF Prediction, Picks, Live Odds – Oct. 9 Espanyol takes on Malaga CF on the road on Friday, with both teams currently in the bottom half of the table in LaLiga. We provide our predi...

OCTOBER 9 • BLEACHERNATION.COM

Jofre Carreras - Ready to return Carreras (groin) is available for Friday's clash against Malaga after recovering from his injury, according to coach Manolo Gonzalez. "We're taking 24 players, including three goal...

Impact Carreras is back in contention after missing recent matches due to groin discomfort, including the clash against Elche before the international break. The midfielder has been limited to just three La Liga appearances this season because of fitness issues, and his return provides Espanyol with another option in midfield. However, given his recent absence and lack of competitive minutes, Carreras could initially be restricted to a substitute role against Malaga.

OCTOBER 8 • ROTOWIRE

Javi Puado - Available for Malaga clash Puado (knee) is available for Friday's clash against Malaga after recovering from a torn ACL, though his playing time will depend on how he feels, according to coach Manolo Gonzale...

Impact Puado is finally in contention for his first competitive appearance since undergoing surgery on his right ACL in January. The forward was held out of last Friday's friendly against Ipswich as a precaution, but his recovery has now progressed enough for him to return to the squad. Given his lengthy absence, Puado is likely to begin against Malaga on the bench, with any minutes carefully managed as he gradually rebuilds match fitness.

OCTOBER 8 • ROTOWIRE

Javi Puado - Return pushed back Puado (knee) did not feature in Friday's friendly against Ipswich despite initially being expected to make his return to action, according to AS.

Impact Puado continues to build his fitness in the final stages of his recovery from the torn right ACL that required surgery in January. Espanyol ultimately opted against giving the forward minutes against Ipswich, prioritizing caution rather than rushing his return after the lengthy absence. Puado could now potentially make his first appearance since the injury against Malaga on Oct. 9, though his involvement will depend on how he progresses in training over the coming days.

OCTOBER 2 • ROTOWIRE

Vanja Drkusic - Plays 86 minutes Drkusic played 86 minutes during Tuesday's 2-0 win over North Macedonia.

Impact Drkusic got back on the pitch after an undisclosed issue put him in doubt. He got the start and played 86 minutes during the win. It was a comfortable match for the defender who played well though he wasn't really needed. Drkusic should be fully fit moving forward.

SEPTEMBER 29 • ROTOWIRE

Javi Puado - Could play in friendly match Puado could feature in a friendly match against Ipswich Town on Friday as he targets a competitive return for the Malaga match on Oct. 9, according to Flavio Pace of GOL Digital.

Impact Puado has been trending in the right direction lately and has been working on the grass for a while now, leaving behind roughly nine months of recovery following an ACL injury. Espanyol will play a behind-closed-doors friendly against Ipswich Town on Friday, and Puado is expected to get minutes, as that'll be the only semi-competitive chance to see whether he can play once the league campaign resumes. Once he's fit, Puado will compete for playing time with players such as Tyrhys Dolan, Bryan Zaragoza, Pere Milla and Jofre Carreras.

SEPTEMBER 28 • ROTOWIRE

Vanja Drkusic - Withdrawn with apparent injury Drkusic was forced off with an apparent injury during Saturday's Nations League meeting with Scotland.

Impact Drkusic will be assessed, with more clarity expected once Slovenia have examined him. He had been one of the more prominent performers before the withdrawal, having struck the woodwork. Slovenia play again in three days, so his involvement in that fixture should indicate whether the problem is minor. The 26-year-old is not a regular starter at Espanyol, where Unai Nunez, Leandro Cabrera and Clemens Riedel are all ahead of him.

SEPTEMBER 26 • ROTOWIRE

New Valencia coach Javier Aguirre optimistic despite 'a lot of work' to get the team back on track

Javier Aguirre has arrived in Valencia saying there’s “a lot of work” to do to help the team recover from a poor start to the season but believed there was enough talent and qualit...

SEPTEMBER 24 • Associated Press

Javi Puado - Close to return Puado (knee) enters a decisive phase of his recovery during this international break, with the club targeting a possible reappearance against Malaga on Oct. 9, according to La Grad...

Impact Puado has been sidelined for more than eight months since tearing his right ACL against Levante on January 11, having begun working on the grass in late August before joining teammates in team training on Sept. 2. Coach Manolo Gonzalez has earmarked this break as the moment to increase his workload toward full team involvement, and while Malaga looks like the most logical venue for his return to a matchday squad, a gradual reintegration appears more likely than an immediate starting role given the competition he'll face from Roberto Fernandez, Tyrhys Dolan, Bryan Zaragoza, Pere Milla and Jofre Carreras.

SEPTEMBER 20 • ROTOWIRE

Marko Dmitrovic - Three saves but concedes three Dmitrovic made three saves and allowed three goals in Friday's 3-1 loss versus Elche.

Impact Dmitrovic was unable to keep 10-man Elche at bay as he conceded three goals in their defeat. The first goal saw Fer Nino beat the offside trap and took it around the goalkeeper to put it in the back of the net. Before this game, he had only conceded seven goals in six games, keeping two clean sheets this season.

SEPTEMBER 19 • ROTOWIRE

🔴 RCD ESPANYOL vs ELCHE CF - PREVIA DEL PARTID

SEPTEMBER 18 • YOUTUBE

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Early season runs grind to a halt as Lyon loses at Lens and Dortmund held by Bremen

New Valencia coach Javier Aguirre optimistic despite 'a lot of work' to get the team back on track