ESPANYOL-REAL MADRID
Madrid have dropped just 2 points in 7 visits to Cornellà
Since their first visit to Espanyol’s stadium in September 2009, Real Madrid have won six and drawn one under four different coaches.
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Great figures
Real Madrid's figures as guests of Espanyol in Cornellà are more than acceptable. Since the RCDE Stadium was inaugurated in 2009, Madrid have made seven visits in the league, under under four different coaches - winning six and drawing just once.
Manuel Pellegrini's Madrid were the first to play at the ground, then known as Estadi Cornellà-El Prat in September 2009. The team fired in three goals without reply - Granero, Guti and Cristiano putting their names on the scoresheet.
Marcelo scored the only goal of the game in the February 2011 visit, with José Mourinho at helm. Los Blancos were back a few months later and won 0-4 with Gonzalo Higuaín claiming a hat trick.
Higuáin salvaged a point for Mourinho's side in the following visit to Cornellà, cancelling out Stuani's opener. That meeting, in May 2013, was the first time Madrid conceded a goal to the hosts and the only time they have dropped points to date. Funnily enough, keeping goal that night was Kiko Casilla for the home team and Diego López for the visitors - the reverse will be the case this evening...
Pepe to the rescue
Madrid resumed their winning streak the next season with Pepe nodding in the winner in January 2014. Cristiano became the second Madrid player to come away from the Power8 stadium clutching the matchball - he hit a hat trick in the 1-4 win in May last year, and repeated the feat in the most recent fixture, just over 12 months ago when Madrid recorded their biggest win at Espanyol's ground - a 0-6 hammering; which goes to show that Rafa Benítez might not be as defensive a coach as some would believe; Benzema grabbed Madrid's fourth of the night, Cristiano got the rest.
