Roberto Fernández Jaén settled the toughest fixture of the weekend for RCD Espanyol inside a quarter of an hour, scoring twice at El Sadar to sink Osasuna (0-2) on Saturday.
Two goals before the break decide it
The forward put his side ahead in the 3rd minute after a pass from Marcos Fernández, who was direct and combative down the right flank all afternoon. Roberto struck again in the 17th minute, this time set up by Omar El Hilali, effectively deciding the outcome before Osasuna could respond. Those two goals take the striker to five for the season and confirm him as the most decisive player under head coach Manolo González.
Manolo González praises the team's personality
The Catalan coach praised his forward, describing him as someone who "suffered a lot last year" before regaining his importance this season. Manolo González summed up the win by saying, "Nos ha salido el partido que tocaba, con personalidad," meaning the team produced exactly the performance the occasion demanded, with personality. La Vanguardia Deportes also gathered reaction from the home dressing room after a match Espanyol controlled from start to finish.
For Osasuna, forward Kike Barja admitted his side struggled early on: "Ha sido una primera parte dura. Nos han metido dos zarpazos que nos han costado dos goles," acknowledging a tough first half in which two sharp Espanyol strikes proved costly. Osasuna coach Luis Miguel Ramis had said before kickoff that he saw things he liked in the previous 5-2 defeat to Alavés, but his team again showed defensive fragility.
Espanyol's defence holds firm again
Beyond Roberto's double, the match brought more good news for Manolo González: defensive solidity. Cabrera and Riedel dominated the centre of the back line, Dmitrovic was barely tested in goal, and Ante Budimir, Osasuna's main striker, found almost no room to threaten the visiting defence. The home side kept combining in midfield but could not break down a block that, after going 2-0 up, dropped back and defended with order until the final whistle at El Sadar, in front of 21,186 spectators.
Referee Bestard Servera, from the Balearic Islands federation, booked Barja, Moncayola, Riedel, El Hilali and Hinojo in a physical contest Osasuna tried and failed to force after conceding the second goal. Manolo González made gradual changes in the second half, including the introduction of Bryan Zaragoza, a former Osasuna and Bayern Munich player, who came on in the 80th minute for Javi Hernández. The absence of Kike García through injury again left Roberto as the main reference up front.
Espanyol settle into mid-table
The win at El Sadar leaves Espanyol seventh in La Liga, with 7 points from a possible 15 after five rounds, a record of two wins, one draw and two defeats, five points behind leaders Barcelona. The club has scored 8 goals and conceded 5 so far, continuing a run that echoes the momentum they had at the start of last season. The full table can be checked on our standings page.
Espanyol's recent results
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 12-09-2026 | Osasuna - Espanyol | 0-2 |
| 06-09-2026 | Espanyol - Sevilla | 1-1 |
| 29-08-2026 | Real Sociedad - Espanyol | 2-1 |
| 22-08-2026 | Espanyol - Real Madrid | 1-2 |
| 16-08-2026 | Espanyol - Levante | 3-0 |
The next assignment comes on September 15, when Espanyol travel to face Rayo Vallecano, currently 15th in the standings, in a game that can be tracked alongside the rest of the calendar on our fixtures page. Manolo González must now decide whether to keep Roberto as his central striker or turn to Pere Milla, who came on late at El Sadar, with the starting options laid out on our squad page.
