Sarabia: "My team is Espanyol and I will defend it to the death"

Sarabia apologised for past criticism of Espanyol fans and pledged to defend the club with everything he has in his first press conference as manager.

Eder Sarabia was officially presented as RCD Espanyol's new manager on Wednesday, a day after the scheduled event was postponed following the death of Tenerife player Jesús de Miguel. The Basque coach, accompanied by his four-man backroom staff (Jon López, Jon Moreno, Aitor Unzué and Álvaro González), held a press conference lasting over an hour at the Auditorio Juan Segura Palomares.

Sarabia addressed previous comments he made against Espanyol supporters when managing Andorra, saying: "My team is RCD Espanyol and I will defend it to the death with everything I know." He apologised to anyone who felt offended by his earlier remarks and emphasised his enthusiasm for the role, describing the opportunity as "magical" and noting how much he has always enjoyed visiting the stadium.

The manager outlined his approach to the role, stating he would build on the good work done by his predecessor Manolo González while adding his own touch. He praised the squad's talent and alternatives, highlighting their pressing and ball control in recent performances. Sarabia also confirmed that Jon López and Aitor Unzué will be on the bench going forward, after Sergio García took charge of the previous match.