The five months when a "love athlete" changed Sarabia's "energy"

former Espanyol manager Sarabia spent five months studying coaching and personal development before joining the club, now applying spiritual and mental techniques to transform team dynamics.

Eder Sarabia, Espanyol's new manager, has spent the five months between leaving Elche in May and joining the club on 28 October studying advanced consciousness development and coaching under Javier Marigorta, a self-described "love athlete" and life coach. Sarabia has already begun translating these learnings into his work with the squad, holding extended group sessions where he discusses topics like happiness and asks players to draw diagrams of their preferred field positions.

Sarabia plans to take the team on a retreat in La Garrotxa next week, prioritising bonding and getting to know each other over tactical work. He has also brought former Espanyol player Álvaro González into his coaching staff to help him connect with the club's culture and fanbase. The manager emphasised his desire to earn the supporters' trust through hard work and results, while instilling a rebellious mindset in his players that encourages them to believe in their own success on the pitch.