Everything indicates that, except capital surprise, David Gallego will not continue on the bench of Espanyol next season. More, however, the coach of Súria has not been able to make an opportunity in Cornellà-El Prat. Against Athletic, with a solitary goal by David López , he scored his fourth victory since landing in the first blue and white team. A draw at home against Las Palmas is his only blemish on an immaculate curriculum that, however, could serve him little. In San Mamés, the match started with a small scare for Espanyol. Beñat got his foot untimely and was about to shatter Sergio García's ankle . Falete turned in pain over the green and Gallego put Melendo to warm . Fortunately, the Bon Pastor recovered on time and there was no regrets.
Minutes later, came the first goal of the match, the work of David López after a corner kick. The blanquiazul center totally headed the ball to the back of the Kepa net after a splendid center of Piatti . Garrafal error of the Athletic players in the mark. The anger of Aguirrezabalaga to his companions was of time. He was again Espanyol in the start that recognizable team since the arrival of Gallego to the periquito bench. Order back and speed from three quarters of field, the secret of success. At that time, only Iñaki Williams had offered signs of life in attack by Athletic. The attacks rojiblancos, however, died on the shore thanks to how generous was the center of the Espanyol field, always attentive to throw a cable to his rear.
They took the initiative, however, the lions in the final stretch of the first part and Aduriz and Muniain closed the goal of Diego Lopez with two frank shots that finished the first in the clouds and the second in corner after a good stop of the keeper exmadridista. The response of Espanyol was a precious action Baptistao on the edge of the break. The Brazilian attacking midfielder left his peer inside the area with a pair of precious footprints to the ball, but the final shot by Gerard Moreno , however, was taken by a Bilbao defender 'in extremis' when the stands of San Mamés already covered the fearful eyes of the worst. After passing through the changing rooms, Athletic came out with another speed and printed intensity to their game, exerting an effective pressure on the departure of the Espanyol ball. This circumstance caused inaccuracies in David López and Naldo and doubts in Víctor Sánchez . Gallego , in addition, was forced to move his bench for a muscular discomfort of Dídac. Aarón entered the place of Mataró and Iturraspe replaced Vesga in Athletic by technical decision.
A whiplash of Sergio Garcia who repelled Kepa in a feline intervention put the salt and pepper to the quarter hour of the resumption. It was then when Ziganda made the decision to abandon the defense of five and move on to play with two centers with the incorporation of Cordoba to eleven. The swap, however, did not clear the outlook for the lions and Espanyol continued to carry a lot of danger on the counterattack at the hands of Baptistao , who in the 63rd minute claimed a possible penalty when he faced Kepa alone . The final stretch of the match would be a want and not power of an Athletic without weapons above, who brushed the goal in a shot of foreshortening of Aduriz but stayed with the honey on the lips.