“I don’t know what they’re talking about” – Espanyol manager hits back at Real Madrid complaints | OneFootball

Espanyol were elated on Saturday as they defeated Real Madrid 1-0, which is a result that moves them outside of the La Liga relegation zone. Los Pericos dug in brilliantly to limit the chances that the defending champions had at the Stage Front Stadium, before scoring late on through Carlos Romero.

It has been a tough season for Espanyol, and head coach Manolo Gonzalez has been under a lot of pressure. After Saturday’s match, he could not hide his delight at the result, as per Relevo.

“I was excited to win a game of this type. And I either feel things, and if you feel them you can’t hide the emotion. I am very sorry for my work and I defend my club to the death, and if it’s Espanyol, even more so. To win a game like this is unforgettable.

“It’s been a tough year for the players. They deserve everything. Players also need joy of this kind. Beating a European champion gives you important moral strength, but now we can’t think that we are what we are not. The team believes and wants to stay in La Liga.”

Espanyol celebrating Carlos Romero’s late winner against Real Madrid (Photo by JAVIER GANDUL / DIARIO AS)

Gonzalez also responded to complaints from Carlo Ancelotti about the decision not to award a red card to Romero, who committed a hard challenge on Kylian Mbappe 25 minutes before scoring the winner. In his eyes, referee Alejandro Muniz Ruiz, and also VAR, came to the correct conclusion.

“The truth is that I don’t know what they’re talking about. I only know that Espanyol has won. I’m not going to go into that. It’s a tough tackle, but I don’t think it makes an impact. For me it is a well-refereed situation, it is not red because it does not impact the player. If it had been red, I’m sure they would have corrected it. I don’t think there’s more to say.”