Espanyol's Dawn Chorus: Fans Greet Heroes at 3:40am After San Mamés Stunner
Over 150 Espanyol supporters welcomed their high-flying team back to Barcelona in the early hours following their fifth consecutive win at Athletic Bilbao.
Barcelona’s Other Team Enjoying Historic Run
While Barcelona might grab most of the headlines, it’s their city rivals Espanyol who are delivering the fairy tale story in Spanish football right now. The ‘Pericos’ continued their remarkable run with a fifth consecutive victory, this time toppling Athletic Club at the intimidating San Mamés.
What happened next shows just how special this moment is for Espanyol supporters.
Middle-of-the-Night Welcome Party
After the team’s flight landed at El Prat airport in the early hours, the squad made their way to the RCDE Stadium to collect their vehicles before heading off for the holiday break. But instead of finding an empty car park at 3:40am, they were greeted by approximately 150 delirious fans.
The supporters, organized by the club’s ultras groups, created a proper atmosphere despite the ungodly hour:
- Flares lighting up the night sky
- Chants and songs echoing around the stadium exterior
- Applause and messages of support for the players
The players were reportedly gobsmacked by the reception, clearly not expecting such a turnout at that time of night - or rather, morning.
A Year of Transformation
2025 has been nothing short of revolutionary for Espanyol:
- First, they secured their top-flight status
- Then came new ownership bringing fresh energy to the club
- Now, they’re playing at a level approaching excellence
Climbing the Table
The victory at San Mamés puts Espanyol on 33 points and sitting pretty in fifth place in La Liga. They’ve opened up a five-point gap to Real Betis in sixth and are a whopping 10 points clear of both Athletic Club and Celta Vigo below them.
Manolo González’s side have been the surprise package of the season’s first half. For a club that’s often lived in the shadow of their more illustrious neighbors, this current form represents a proper Christmas present for the blue and white faithful.
With performances like this, those 150 fans braving the cold in the small hours might soon need to make room for a few more at the next impromptu celebration. The Espanyol revolution is well and truly underway, and their supporters are loving every minute of it - even at half past three in the morning!