Rubi’s Espanyol inspire respect
Espanyol coach Rubi has transformed the fortunes of the often underachieving Catalan club and galvanised hopes ahead of Saturday’s city derby at home to La Liga champions Barcelona. Victory for seventh-placed Espanyol would move them to within four points of leaders Barca and further enhance the reputation of their coach, who spent a season at the Nou Camp working as an assistant. Rubi began his coaching career in the lower leagues of Spanish football, with sides such as Hospitalet and Espanyol’s reserve team, winning promotion to the third tier of Spanish football with the latter. He stood out in these typically gritty surroundings for having an attacking outlook and insisting that his teams dominate possession. His success and reputation led to him striking up a friendship with Tito Vilanova, assistant to Pep Guardiola during his trophyladen period as boss of Barca. Guardiola is reported to have asked Rubi to join his staff at Bayern Munich when he began working with the Germans in 2013. Guardiola’s who head the Rubi’s Nou coach convinced Yet Camp abandon working successor and it in was join 2013. his him relationship career his Vilanova, at to staff Barca, temporarily as at a with month, when leave Vilanova the the though, job latter as would cruelly his was battle only forced cut last short with to a throat Vilanova Rubi remained died cancer in April at intensified. 2014. the club under Martino, Argentine but soon coach returned Gerardo to management, Valladolid, Levante taking and Sporting over Gijon with varying degrees of success. He then stormed to a top flight promotion with minnows Huesca. Yet instead of leading Huesca into their first season in La Liga, he returned to Espanyol, where he had spent his early years as a coach in charge of the reserve team. He was immediately endorsed by Guardiola, who said: “I have great references for him, he did great work with Huesca and I see him as a very brave coach. I’m convinced he will correct. Guardiola do very Espanyol well ’ s inkling at had Espanyol.” become proved used half of to La finishing Liga but Rubi in the has lower overseen their best start to a season since 2010, when Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino was at the helm. An excellent run of home form, winning five of six games, has taken them into seventh place, sparking hopes of a push for European football next season. “Espanyol are demanding respect again and everyone knows they are a powerful team,” said former player Luis Garcia of the team’s revival under Rubi. Victory over Barca, who they have not beaten in the league since 2009, would take them to within touching distance of their more glamorous rivals, who reclaimed top spot from Sevilla in La Liga last week. Barca will be boosted by the return of Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo and striker Uruguay striker Luis Suarez for Saturday ’ s encounter. /Reuters