Espanyol manager Manolo Gonzalez didn't hold back after his team's 0-2 loss to Real Madrid, calling it a painful defeat—not because they played poorly, but because they actually played well. In a match where the margins were razor-thin, Gonzalez saw plenty of positives in his side's performance, even if the scoreboard didn't reflect it.

"The defeat hurts because we played well. We were right in it," Gonzalez said after the match. "But you have to keep it close right until the end." He emphasized that against top-tier teams like Real Madrid, missed opportunities are a luxury you can't afford. "If you don't capitalize on your chances, they have players who can decide the outcome of matches."

The Espanyol boss pointed to a crucial turning point: his team's inability to take the lead when they had the upper hand. "In the first half, we played better than them, and we even started the second half well," he noted. But after falling behind 0-1, Espanyol pushed hard, creating several clear chances to equalize. "Terrats' chance, one from Roberto… Going 0-2 down really hurt us," Gonzalez added, referencing moments that could have changed the game's entire complexion.

Gonzalez believes the match could have unfolded very differently if his side had struck first. "I think if the team had taken the lead, it would have been a completely different story," he said. "After going 2-0 down, we really struggled. But I'll say it again: we pinned Madrid back in their own half at the start of the second half."

For Espanyol fans, the takeaway is clear: this was a performance full of fight and promise, undone by a few key moments. As Gonzalez summed up, "After going 1-0 down, we had three chances to score. We just couldn't sustain it." In a league where every point matters, Espanyol will need to turn those positive signs into results—starting with finishing their chances when it counts.