Wire flash
SportsEspanyol held 1-1 at home by Sabadell in third preseason friendly
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Source reporting is collected, normalized, translated or condensed automatically when needed.
- Automatically published source-backed update
Espanyol played their third preseason match, hosting Sabadell at the Dani Jarque training ground. After winning their first two games against Pau and Olot, Manolo González's side struggled against the newly promoted Liga Hypermotion team. The first half was poor with no chances created. Sabadell took the lead in the 72nd minute through an own goal by Rubén Sánchez. Espanyol equalized four minutes later when Kike García scored with a left-footed curling shot after a through ball from Roger Hinojo. Espanyol nearly won late, with Jofre hitting a curling shot close and Pere Milla heading against the crossbar in stoppage time. The match ended 1-1. Espanyol's next preseason match is against Burnley in England.
Source report
Updated: 25/07/2026 - 13:09 CEST By: Santi Oliván
Espanyol played their third match of the preseason this morning at the Dani Jarque. After winning their first two games—thrashing French side Pau and Olot—the blue-and-whites hosted Sabadell, a team newly promoted to the Liga Hypermotion.
The perico side encountered more difficulty than expected and showed greater uncertainty than in previous matches. A late goal from Kike García ultimately saved Espanyol from defeat.
Match Summary
The match was initially scheduled for the afternoon but had its time changed. Manolo González fielded the following starting lineup:
- Dmitrovic, Cabrera, Urko, Hartman, Omar, Edu Expósito, Moscardo, Cala, Dolan, Marcos Fernández, Roberto Fernández
The first half was poor for Espanyol, with no chances created.
The second half also failed to impress from a perico perspective, and substitutions did little to improve the team. Manolo González's side struggled to control and dominate the match. Imprecise and lacking creativity, they created virtually no chances until the final moments of the game.
Sabadell took the lead in the 72nd minute with an own goal from Rubén Sánchez.
Late Rally
Drawing on their pride in the final stretch, Espanyol pushed for an equalizer. Kike García, one of the blue-and-white goalscorers so far in preseason, leveled the match in the 76th minute. Roger Hinojo delivered a perfect through ball, leaving the attacker one-on-one. García controlled and finished brilliantly, curling the shot with his left foot to make it 1-1.
In the closing moments, Espanyol came close to securing the win:
- Jofre was inches away from scoring a second goal with a curling shot.
- In stoppage time, Pere Milla headed another cross from Roger Hinojo, but his effort hit the crossbar.
Despite a late reaction, Espanyol could not get past the draw. The next match will be on English soil against Burnley.
Match Details
Espanyol: Dmitrovic, Urko, Cabrera, Omar, Hartman, Edu Expósito, Moscardo, Dolan, Cala, Marcos Fernández, Roberto Fernández. Also played: Fortuño, Rubén Sánchez, Riedel, Pol Lozano, Pere Milla, Kike García, Jofre, Javi Hernández, Bauza, Timera, Hinojo. Coach: Manolo González.
Sabadell: Diego Fuoli, Genar Fornés, Codina, Arthur Bonaldo, Ton Ripoll, Pere Pons, Óscar Sanz, Yanis Rahmani, López-Pinto, Urri, Joel Priego. Also played: José Ortega, Manel Estévez, Carlos Alemán, Eneko Aguilar, Rodrigo Escudero, Miguelete, Mario Torres, Lluís Estebe, Catalá, Alain Ribeiro, Hudson, Liameed, Sergio Sandoval. Coach: Ferran Costa.
Goals:
- 0-1: Rubén Sánchez (o.g.) — min. 72
- 1-1: Kike García — min. 76
Referee: David López.
Show comments: 3
Related Links
- Pipa: European experience to reinforce Sabadell's right flank
- World Cup
- World Cup Results
- World Cup Schedule
- La Liga
- Segunda División
- National Team
- World Cup Top Scorers
- World Cup Final
- Spain Lineup Today
- World Cup Final Time
Source
LALIGA EA Sports // marcaWestern
Part of this Story
Espanyol Wins Preseason Friendlies Against Olot and Pau FC