RCD Espanyol achieved a 1-1 draw at La Rosaleda, but the biggest news of the match was the performance of their starting goalkeeper, Ángelo Fortuño. At 25 years old and with just one game in the First Division before the match, the player was firm in all his interventions, despite Adrián Niño's goal in the 93rd minute. Coach Manolo González praised his performance, calling it “excellent” and highlighted that Fortuño proved to be a “great goalkeeper.”
Commentator Pol Lozano, who knows Fortuño from the youth ranks and shares the same representation agency (MagicPlayers), also highlighted the confidence he has in the young goalkeeper. "I have known him for many years and I know what he can give us. For me he is a great goalkeeper, I wanted him to be able to show it and that he could show his head and show what goalkeeper he is," Lozano explained at the press conference. The team's third captain stressed the importance of the competition Fortuño faces and the need to continue growing.
Regarding the team's performance, Lozano was critical of the first half, where Espanyol “pressed more” and sought more calm with the ball to create spaces. In the second half, the team tried to defend to get the three points, but was unable to fulfill that strategy. “It wasn't the coach's doing,” he pointed out, pointing out that the lack of defensive discipline was a key factor in the result.
Coach Manolo González, the subject of criticism within the club, received a response from Lozano that emphasized the trust that the team has in him. "Our trust in him is great, we have been with him for many years and he has given us results. It is normal that there is criticism, it is the world of football. If anyone deserves trust, it is the figure of the coach we have," said Lozano.
With the next match against Atlético de Madrid scheduled for Saturday at the RCDE Stadium at 2:00 p.m., Fortuño and the rest of the team are preparing to face an opponent with great offensive potential. "He has a lot of offensive potential. If you're not good, he punishes you. If we're solid, we're going to get something positive, for sure," the goalkeeper anticipated, showing optimism about the next confrontation.