Espanyol will face a more demanding preseason examination on Tuesday evening when they meet French Ligue 2 outfit Pau FC at the Estadi Municipal de Peralada. Kick-off is scheduled for 19:30 CEST.
The fixture represents a step up in intensity for the pericos after they opened their summer schedule with a convincing 3-0 victory over Olot on Saturday. Forwards Bauza and Marcos Fernández both found the net in that match, while Roger Hinojo and Javi Hernández also caught the eye with strong performances.
Squad Rotation and Departures
Manager Manolo González is using these early friendlies to assess his options ahead of the new La Liga campaign, though several players remain absent from contention. José Gragera, Miguel Rubio, José Salinas, Pablo Ramón and Antoniu Roca did not feature against Olot and are widely expected to leave the club this summer. This pattern is likely to continue against Pau.
The match offers another opportunity for returning loanees to press their claims for first-team roles. It also provides a further glimpse of the club’s three summer signings: Àlex Calatrava, Hartman and Moscardo. Calatrava made a particularly positive impression during the Olot fixture.
Connection Through Sadik
An intriguing subplot involves Pau winger Giovani Versini, who has reportedly attracted interest from the Catalan club following his campaigns in France. Espanyol forward Omar Sadik, who will spend the coming season on loan at Ceuta, featured for Pau last year and could provide the coaching staff with detailed insight into the 22-year-old’s capabilities.
Preseason Schedule
After Tuesday’s encounter, Espanyol will face Sabadell at the Ciudad Deportiva on Saturday morning. That fixture has been brought forward to a 10:30 kick-off from the originally scheduled evening slot.
These controlled domestic tests will give way to a more demanding tour of England in late July and early August, before Espanyol open their Liga campaign at the RCDE Stadium.