Espanyol Headed In The Right Direction Thanks To Rubi

The 2018-19 La Liga campaign has already provided plenty of drama and surprises in the opening weeks. Real Madrid’s goalscoring woes have reached historic levels, while the struggles of Villarreal and Athletic Club have seen the two perennial Europa clubs hovering just one point above the relegation zone. Nonetheless, the true shocks have been witnessed at the top of the table, and Espanyol are leading the charge to success.

The Catalan club currently sit second in the division, just a point back of local rival Barcelona. They have done so under the careful guidance of a new manager this season, with Joan Francesc Ferrer Sicilia, or Rubi, as he is commonly known, signing on this past June. After leading Huesca to promotion and their first-ever La Liga campaign, the 48-year-old coach decided to take on a new challenge. It was certainly not a choice that would come with smooth sailing ahead.

Los Periquitos finished 11th last season, but the club’s hierarchy wanted to see things progress in a significant manner. Along with the departure of manager Quique Sánchez Flores, there were changes on the horizon this past summer in the squad as well. However, instead of wide-eyed optimism for Espanyol supporters, there were concerns at various positions.

The most concerning departure came in the frontline, with Gerard Moreno’s exit from Catalonia. The striker returned to former side Villarreal, thus creating a void in the Espanyol attack. Out of Espanyol's paltry tally of 36 league goals last season, Gerard scored 16 of them.