Under manager Manolo González, Espanyol entered the 2025/2026 season with a renewed focus on tactical structure and discipline, aiming to improve after just missing out on European competition last year.
While their average possession this season (around 40.5%) doesn’t place them among La Liga’s most ball-dominant sides, it reflects a philosophy of purposeful control.
Gonzálezs strategy prioritises a stable build-up from the back, smart positioning, and choosing the right moments to advance the ball up the field.
This Espanyol tactical analysis will examine how Espanyol build attacks from deep, focusing on their organisation, how they bypass defensive pressure, and the specific positional tactics they use to move the ball effectively into the midfield.
Espanyol Build-Up & Progression
Under Manolo González tactics, Espanyols build-up play focuses on structured, controlled progression rather than holding onto the ball for long periods.
The main objective is to cleanly break through the opponents initial line of pressure while maintaining a balanced formation that provides defensive coverage.
In their initial build-up phase, Espanyols 4-2-3-1 formation transitions into a 3-2-4-1 when they have the ball.
This change occurs when one of the central midfielders, often Eduardo Expósito, drops back to join the two centre-backs, Leandro Cabrera and Clemens Riedel, and the goalkeeper.
Alternatively, the right-back may tuck in with the centre-backs.
This creates a back three, giving them a 3-on-2 advantage against the oppositions forwards and allowing for safer, more effective ball circulation from the back.
The underlying objective in this phase is not speed or creativity but positional clarity and risk reduction: By securing passing lanes and controlling tempo, Espanyol minimizes the chances of losing the ball in dangerous zones and builds a stable platform for further advancement.
In matches like the draw against Valencia this season, Espanyols build-up structure was clear from the start.
When Valencia pressed with a 4-4-2 formation, right-back Omar El Hilali dropped alongside the two centre-backs.
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