Espanyol boss highlights turning point in Real Madrid defeat: ‘The defeat hurts because…’

Espanyol manager Manolo Gonzalez did not hide his frustration after his side fell to a 0-2 defeat against Real Madrid.

Despite the result, the coach said that he saw positives in his team’s performance, even if the outcome did not reflect their effort.

Speaking after the match, Gonzalez first pointed to the fine margins that decided the game.

He stressed that Espanyol were competitive throughout but failed to take their chances at key moments.

“The defeat hurts because we played well. We were right in it. But you have to keep it close right until the end.”

Adding on the difference between the two sides, he pointed out that against top teams like Real Madrid, missed opportunities are often punished.

“If you don’t capitalise on your chances, they have players who can decide the outcome of matches.”

Manolo Gonzalez’s analysis
The Espanyol boss also focused on what he saw as a missed opportunity. He explained that his side performed better in the first half and even began the second half strongly.

“In the first half, we played better than them, and we even started the second half well.”

He then pointed to key chances that could have changed everything, referencing specific moments where his players came close to scoring.

“After going 0-1 down, we reacted well with several chances to score. Terrats’ chance, one from Roberto… Going 0-2 down really hurt us.”

Gonzalez believes that the match could have taken a completely different direction if Espanyol had taken the lead.

“I think if the team had taken the lead, it would have been a completely different story.

“After going 2–0 down, we really struggled. But I’ll say it again: we pinned Madrid back in their own half at the start of the second half.”

He concluded by acknowledging that despite creating multiple chances after conceding the first goal, his team simply could not maintain their push.

“After going 1–0 down, we had three chances to score. After that, we simply ran out of steam,” he concluded.