ESPANYOL v ARTMEDIA TICKETS: Thursday, September 28, 2006: Euro Media Circus

At the end of the 2004-05 campaign, Espanyol qualified for the UEFA Cup, after chasing a Champions League spot for the final weeks of the campaign, and the achievement was deemed a great success.
While making into Europe is a boost to every club’s moral, the fact that the draw for the group stage failed to spark the imagination and left the squad stretched thin.
The midweek exhertions soon began to take their toll on the league performances and Espanyol’s poor run, after a promising start, was down to the fact that the squad was just not big enough to cope. One highlight did come fomr playing in midweek, however, as los Periquitos progressed to the Copa del Rey final and won the trophy to see them qualify for the UEFA Cup for the second consecutive season. This time the preparation may be better as the squad appears to have a little more depth, but to make into the groups, where the money is earned, Ernesto Valverde’s team have to overcome Slovakian hopefuls, FC Artmedia. The Bratislava-based club have not set their own league alight in the early stages this term and have a record of three wins, two draws and three defeats to their name as they sit in seventh place in the 12-team top flight. Last season, the Slovak club may have played in the Champions League, but the current side look a long way from achieving that again. Having played the first leg away, Espanyol will be hoping to have set themselves with a real chance of winning this game.
Knockout football is always entertaining anyway, and this should be no different.