Sabadell faces Espanyol this Thursday at the Ciutat Esportiva Dani Jarque (10:30h/Esport3), in a friendly that marks the return of the striped team to the Segunda División.
The Centre d'Esports Sabadell plays its third pre-season friendly this Thursday, and it does so against none other than RCD Espanyol, a Primera División team. The match, which takes place at the Ciutat Esportiva Dani Jarque at 10:30 am and will be broadcast on Esport3, holds special emotional significance for the striped team, who are celebrating their recent promotion to the Segunda División.
For Sabadell, facing a Primera team is the only high-level test of the summer. Ferran Costa's team arrives after achieving promotion, and the match will serve to assess their form against a superior opponent. Additionally, the duel on the benches pits Manolo González (Espanyol) against Ferran Costa (Sabadell), two coaches with history: González was hired by Espanyol B in 2023, when Costa was a candidate for that position.
The match will also have an emotional component for two Sabadell players with a past at Espanyol. Central defender José Luis Catalá was transferred from Espanyol to the striped club just 15 days ago, while Gonzalo Ávila 'Pipa', a wing-back, joined Sabadell this Wednesday, becoming Ferran Costa's seventh signing. Both will reunite with their former teammates.
On the other hand, Espanyol, who have already played two friendlies with victories, continues to fine-tune their machinery ahead of their league debut against Levante on August 16. Manolo González will take the opportunity to give minutes to all available players, including newcomers and revelations Marcos Fernández, Rafa Bauza, Javi Hernández, and Roger Hinojo. The Espanyol coach is clear that signing at least one central defender is urgent, while the outgoing operation continues: Antoniu Roca and Gragera have already left, and Rubio, Pablo Ramón, and Salinas are expected to seek new destinations.
For Sabadell, this friendly is an opportunity to measure themselves against an elite rival and continue adjusting the team ahead of their return to Segunda. The striped fans will be able to follow the match live on Esport3, and the club hopes it will be a good test to gauge the team's level.
The match will be played behind closed doors at the Ciutat Esportiva Dani Jarque, without an audience, as is customary in pre-season friendlies. Sabadell will continue its preparation for the league, the schedule of which has yet to be made public.
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