The Owls return to Hillsborough on Sunday for the pre-season friendly against top flight Spanish side RCD Espanyol.
The La Liga outfit will no doubt provide a stern test for Wednesday and here, swfc.co.uk gives the lowdown on this weekend’s opposition.
RCD Espanyol de Barcelona
Stadium: RCDE Stadium (40,500 capacity)
Head coach: David Gallego
Captain: Javi López
2018/19 top scorer: Borja Iglesias (20 goals from 43 appearances)
Results so far in July
CF Peralada 0-6 Espanyol (friendly)
RC Lens 1-3 Espanyol (friendly)
Espanyol 4-0 Stjarnan FC (Europa League)
How did they get on in 2018/19?
Espanyol finished seventh in La Liga to gain entry to the Europa League second qualifying round.
They fought off stiff competition for the last European spot beating off challenges from Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad, losing just two of their last 17 La Liga games.
Our visitors this weekend also reached the quarter finals of the Copa del Rey.
Europa League second qualifying round 2019/20
Espanyol have made a terrific start and are now firm favourites to qualify for the Europa League group stages after defeating Icelandic side Stjarnan FC 4-0 in the first leg on home soil.
Goals from Facundo Ferreyra (2) and Iglesias (2) have Espanyol firmly in the driving seat with the second leg to be played on 1 August.
Fact
The 4-0 first leg win over Stjarnan was Espanyol’s first European victory at the RCDE Stadium, which has been their home since 2009.
Record signing
Espanyol paid a reported fee of €11.25m for Real Madrid Castilla defender Mario Hermoso in summer 2017.
The coveted Spaniard, though, has since completed a move to Atletico Madrid earlier this month for a reported €25m fee.
Honours
Copa del Rey x 4: 1929, 1940, 2000, 2006
Segunda División winners x 1: 1993/94
UEFA Cup runners-up x 2: 1987/88, 2006/07
Did you know?
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino had two separate spells at Espanyol during his playing career.
The first between 1994 and 2001 and the second in a 2004 loan move, before it was made permanent later that year, where he remained until 2006.
Pochettino is fourth on the club’s all-time competitive appearance list having featured on 320 occasions.
