Edu Expósito: The Driving Force Behind Espanyol’s Resurgence

omidbasir- Espanyol has taken a significant step forward this season. Under the management of Manolo González, the team is markedly different from last year’s squad, which needed to rely on the final match to secure its place in the league. This transformation can be attributed to various factors, notably the outstanding performance of Edu Expósito. The midfielder missed half of the previous season due to injury, which adversely affected the team’s overall performance. Now, Expósito has become indispensable in Espanyol’s strategy, and he is recognized as one of the most dangerous midfielders in Europe.

At 29 years old, after recovering from a serious injury that sidelined him for nearly a year, Edu Expósito has reached the peak of his career this season. He is not only a key leader in the locker room but also on the pitch. Espanyol is emerging as one of the surprise teams this season, and Expósito’s contributions are pivotal to their success. Among the top five European leagues, he leads in goal-scoring opportunities created, with an impressive average of 4.71 expected assists, far ahead of the second player on the list, Romain del Castillo, who has 3.06.

The ‘mentalist’ of this Espanyol squad is also the player with the highest number of crosses in the top five leagues, totaling 92, and ranks second for successful crosses with 27. He outperforms notable players such as Arda Güler, Marcus Rashford, Luis Milla, Bryan Mbeumo, Phil Foden, and Luka Modric in this area. Regarding assists, despite Espanyol not boasting a high efficiency among their attackers this season, Expósito has already registered three assists, placing him in the top ten. Furthermore, he ranks third for key passes, ahead of prominent players like Vinicius Jr., Lamine Yamal, Pedri, and Luis Milla.

Continuing to analyze the statistics in the major leagues, another striking figure is that Expósito ranks fourth among midfielders for the most passes into the box per match (5.2), ahead of names like Pedri, Dani Olmo, and Joshua Kimmich. He is also the fourth midfielder with the most successful progressive passes, totaling 74. According to Sofascore, the Espanyol player holds the second-highest rating among midfielders in the competition, averaging 7.33. Expósito contributes to 1 in every 5 goals scored by his team and is the third player in La Liga generating the most chances per match.

Espanyol has made the best start to a season in the last decade. Currently, under Manolo González, the team sits in a Conference League position, rekindling hopes of competing for a European spot after enduring several challenging years. Edu Expósito has been a key player for the team, and his exceptional form warranted consideration from national coach Luis de la Fuente for international duty, although that call has yet to come. Regardless, the statistics showcasing Expósito’s performance speak for themselves.