Espanyol’s first preseason friendly arrives on Saturday, July 18, when they face UE Olot at the Estadi Municipal d'Olot at 20:00. It is the club’s first summer test, and it should offer the first proper look at new signings, returning loanees and a squad that has been working through double sessions in Torremirona.
For Manolo González, the occasion carries a personal edge as well. The Espanyol head coach made clear that Olot is a club he feels close to, while also stressing the most basic objective of any summer friendly: finish the evening without injuries.
Why this first friendly matters
This is not just a date on the calendar. Espanyol have already been through four training sessions of this phase, and the friendly is the first chance to start turning work on the training pitch into football timing, rhythm and coordination.
That is why the match matters even if the result itself is secondary. Preseason is about building fitness, but it is also about seeing how the squad pieces fit together, especially with new arrivals and players returning from loan now entering the picture.
Manolo González summed up the feeling simply: “Y sobre todo para mí es bonito, porque siempre es un club que me gusta, el Olot, y me da ilusión especial ir a jugar allí también.”
That gives the fixture a warmer tone than the average summer run-out. It is still a competitive exercise, but it also reflects the respect between the two clubs and the fact that this is a useful step for both sides.
Olot want to make the most of the occasion
UE Olot are approaching the game from a very different stage of preparation. Roger Vidal said the club is treating the visit of a Primera División opponent with “la máxima ilusión”, but also with realism about where the team stands physically after only four training sessions.
His message was clear: the main goals are to start building match situations, avoid injuries and give minutes to young players, reserve-team players and recent arrivals. That makes the friendly valuable beyond the final score, because it helps Olot begin to settle players into the rhythm of pre-season.
Vidal also described the fixture as a luxury for the club and for the players involved. In his view, it is not something that should be taken for granted that Olot can welcome a Primera División side in summer, and that is part of what gives the match its appeal.
What Espanyol will be looking for
Espanyol’s focus will be different, but no less practical. After a period of double training sessions, the coaching staff will want to see whether the squad can carry that work into a game setting without losing sharpness or control.
The first friendly is often less about tactical conclusions and more about early signs. Are the new faces settling in? Are the returning loanees ready to compete for minutes? Is the squad building the physical base needed for the weeks ahead?
Manolo González put the emphasis exactly where preseason usually demands it, saying: “Esperamos que se vea un buen partido y sobre todo que nadie se haga daño, que es lo que queremos en la pretemporada todos.”
That is the right frame for the evening in Olot. Espanyol get their first summer run-out, UE Olot get a valuable test against higher-level opposition, and both clubs can begin the season’s work with a clear purpose. The football matters, but in July, the bigger victory is leaving the pitch with minutes in the legs and everyone fit for what comes next.
