Espanyol shines in pre‑season friendly against Olot

Espanyol opened its 2024‑25 pre‑season with a friendly in Olot on Saturday, securing a comfortable win that highlighted the squad’s depth. New summer signing Álex Calatrava, known as “Cala”, started as an attacking midfielder and was praised for his energy, ball‑winning and potential impact, saying it was “a good match, we are still working on many things”. Returning loanees also stood out: Marcos Fernández scored, while Rafa Bauza, Javi Hernández and others delivered strong performances in midfield and defense.

Coach Manolo González noted the positive debut but stressed the need for continued improvement, especially in precision and finishing. Players echoed this drive, with defender Roger Hinojo commenting that he “is very demanding of himself and looks for points to improve”. The match provided a strong first impression ahead of the upcoming league fixtures.