Starting XI:
Oblak
Conceded twice in the second half, though both goals are hard to pin on the ‘keeper. Espanyol’s first goal saw an unmarked Miguel Rubio convert on a free kick into the box, and their second came off an incredible Pere Milla header. 4
Llorente
Starting at right back, the Spaniard was a consistent option as a switching option out wide, though pressure from Javi Puado and Carlos Romero made breaking into the final third difficult for the defender. Was loose with his touches in the second
half and gifted the opposition a needless free kick, which they happily converted. 3
Le Normand
Successfully battled Espanyol’s lone striker Roberto Fernández, making him a non-factor throughout the match. The center back’s physical prowess and patience on the ball made for a well-rounded performance in the back, though he should have done better with Milla’s winner in the 84th minute. 5.5
Hancko
Calm in possession and misplaced only six of his 63 passes. His occasional long balls forward broke the home side’s midfield block and increased the tempo of the match. 5
Ruggeri
Energetic, active, and eager to move forward, the Italian frequently got himself involved in the attack. His crosses into the box were dangerous, though substitute Thyrys Dolan gave him headaches in the second half. 6
Gallagher
Drew the foul that led to Julián Alvarez’s goal, and his passing was excellent. El Pitbull was aggressive but not very precise in the challenge — he lost three of four ground duels and was hooked at halftime. 6
Johnny Cardoso
Picked up an early yellow card for his poor tackle on Ramón Terrats but remained a calming presence in the midfield with his simple distribution and defensive work. The new signing was taken off at halftime for Koke in a game-altering move. 5.5
Giuliano Simeone
A mixed bag for the midfielder, whose defensive work drew fouls and won back possession, but whose attacking contribution was almost nonexistent. The usual attacking tenacity from Giuliano could only be seen in brief moments. 3
Álex Baena
Showed good quality while on the ball, particularly in his ability to pick out players on the run. The former Villarreal man did well to find players like Alvarez and Matteo Ruggeri in their movements forward. Baena ended with four key passes in 67 minutes. 6
Almada
A key contributor in the team’s buildup play. The Argentine worked to break Espanyol’s press and move the ball higher up the pitch before being taken off for Antoine Griezmann in the second half. 6
Alvarez
Started off the new season strong with a stunning free kick in the 37th minute. Nearly doubled his tally in the second half, but was denied by the post. 7
Substitutes:
Koke
Looked to make simple passes and keep possession after coming on at halftime, but he was unable to make the same defensive contributions that Cardoso had made, causing more “leaks” from the middle. 4.5
Barrios
Started off strong, connecting with Giuliano and company down the right hand side, but he didn’t demonstrate enough personality to drive the team forward once Espanyol found the fortunate equalizer in the 72nd minute. 4
Raspadori
Had an obvious mismatch while trying to defend Miguel Rubio on the opposition’s second-half free kick, leaving the player wide open to level the match. 3
Griezmann
Came on for Álex Baena in the 68th minute. Full of intent but unable to find a clear chance on net. 5
Sørloth
A similar story to Griezmann, the Norwegian failed to create a clear shot after coming on for Alvarez late in the match. 5
