Two rescue acts in four rounds
Carlos Espi is starting to make a real impact. The 21-year-old Spanish striker has already dragged Real Madrid out of trouble twice this season. He won it for them on the opening weekend against Espanyol. He did it again on Tuesday night at Elche in a 3-2 win.
Without him, Los Blancos would be looking at a very different La Liga table. That is the view making the rounds in the Spanish press since Tuesday.
And there is one twist that makes the story sting a little more. Espi could easily have been wearing a different shirt this season.
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A 25 million euro offer turned down
Cadena SER reports that the striker was offered to Barcelona this summer. The Catalan hierarchy looked at the deal. Then they said no.
The price tag was the sticking point. Twenty-five million euros for a player who was not even a regular starter at his own club, and Barca decided that was too steep. They also felt his profile did not fit Hansi Flick’s ideas.
On paper, the logic made sense. After four rounds, it looks a lot less clever.
Real have got their wild card
Espi is still not an undisputed starter. His job remains the same: come on and change the game. In a La Liga season where points are dropped in clumps in September, that kind of player is worth gold.
For Real Madrid, it has the feel of a free hit. They have landed a player their biggest rival passed on, and he is already being used as a late-game weapon.
Barca, for now, have not had to say they got it wrong. Deco has made no comment on the deal.
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