Espanyol coach in tears after ending winless run – ‘After the uncle’s death, the worst period of my life’

Espanyol finally ended their winless run in 2026 on Wednesday night, securing a vital three points in the relegation battle. Los Pericos had not won any of the 18 games they had played this calendar year, seeing their European aspirations slip into relegation battle despair.

Los Pericos can breathe much easier though, after a 2-0 win over Athletic Club at the RCDE Stadium. Pere Milla opened the scoring with just over 20 minutes to go, and in stoppage time, Kike Garcia made certain of the result. At that point, manager Manolo Gonzalez broke down in tears.

La força d'un sentiment. pic.twitter.com/kw8Skjf6YU

— RCD Espanyol de Barcelona (@RCDEspanyol) May 14, 2026

‘Worst moment of my life after uncle’s death’ – Gonzalez

Speaking after the game, Manolo Gonzalez spoke about the intense pressure he has come under, both from himself and externally.

“It has been the worst professional moment and in general, apart from when my uncle died who was like a father to me. Since I’ve been here it’s been leaps without a safety net, seasons in which we couldn’t afford to fail. The weight on our shoulders was immense. It’s been a hellish second half of the season; the players’ futures are at stake here.”

“You try to find the best, and when you lose, it means what you were aiming for didn’t work out. I’m grateful that they’ve stayed by my side all this time,” he told MD.

La força d'un sentiment. pic.twitter.com/kw8Skjf6YU

— RCD Espanyol de Barcelona (@RCDEspanyol) May 14, 2026

Gonzalez was asked how he would be sleeping tonight.

“I hope well. I haven’t had a good sleep in months. Lately, I’m half awake at six in the morning. It’s the coach’s job, and even more so in my case.”

Las lágrimas de Manolo González.
El delirio de todo el RCDE Stadium.

143 días después, el @RCDEspanyol vuelve a ganar en #LALIGAEASPORTS. #LaCasaDelFútbol pic.twitter.com/cIva7GHv6A

— Movistar Plus Deportes (@MPlusDeportes) May 13, 2026

What’s left for Espanyol?

Los Pericos travel to El Sadar next to face Osasuna, who are level on points with Espanyol on 42, three points above the drop as things stand. They finish their season at home to Real Sociedad, who have already wrapped up a Europa League spot due to their Copa del Rey win. They retain thin hopes of finishing 5th, which would improve their seeding.

The post Espanyol coach in tears after ending winless run – ‘After the uncle’s death, the worst period of my life’ appeared first on Football España.