Manolo González: Three Years at Espanyol Feel Like Dog Years — But He's Not Going Anywhere
Espanyol boss Manolo González previews the trip to Atlético Madrid, opens up on defensive struggles, and reflects on his tenure at the club.
Espanyol manager Manolo González sat down with the press ahead of Saturday’s trip to the Metropolitano — and, as ever, he didn’t hold back. From dog-years analogies to Cruyff quotes, it was a proper press conference.
The Big One: Atlético Away
Heading to Madrid is never easy, and González knows it. Atlético are a side with real quality throughout — particularly at the back, where they’ve got a centre-half pairing that would walk into most squads in Europe. But Espanyol aren’t going there to make up the numbers.
- González pointed to Atlético’s inconsistency of late — a poor league result before this fixture — as a potential opening
- He acknowledged the Metropolitano crowd is a huge factor, saying playing at home is a completely different beast for Simeone’s side
- The key tactical message: stay in the game early, don’t get blown away like they did at Villarreal, and make it a long afternoon
The gaffer was clear — they’re going for three points, not a moral victory.
Sorting the Defensive Mess
Espanyol’s recent form has been a bit dodgy, and González was refreshingly honest about why. The Celta defeat in particular stuck in his throat — they pressed at the wrong moments, left gaps between the lines, and basically fell apart in the low block that had been their bread and butter.
- He’s been doing individual video sessions with players to address specific issues
- He spoke to captain Cabrera directly, who acknowledged the problems
- His message: neither were they as good as they looked in the first half of the season, nor are they as bad as they’ve looked recently — keep calm and reset
As he put it, no one escapes a bad run — just look at how the league table’s been flipping about.
Three Years, Dog Years
Perhaps the most quotable moment came when González reflected on his time at the club. “Three years at Espanyol are like dog years — they count for more,” he said with a laugh. It’s a fair point — managing a yo-yo club fighting relegation battles is a different kind of pressure to a cushy gig mid-table.
He was clear he wants to stay, but only if the club and fans want him there and if the project keeps growing. There’s something quite grounded about that — no ego, just honesty.
Other Bits Worth Noting
- Puado is the only absentee, with the rest of the squad available
- Ramón Terrats is being praised — González reckons he’s actually in better nick now than he was in the first half of the season
- Dolan gets a vote of confidence too — when he’s at his level, he’s a proper player, and the manager doesn’t want to judge him purely on finishing
- On Terrats’ release clause and future: González basically shrugged and said he doesn’t even know where he’ll be next season, let alone anyone else
A Lovely Word for Simeone
Given they’re facing him this weekend, it was interesting to hear González give Diego Simeone a genuine, heartfelt big-up. He talked about how the Atlético project has grown under the Argentine — Champions League regulars, two finals, a league title — and said the growth is undeniable, even if fans sometimes get tired of the same face in the dugout.
Respect where it’s due, and all that.