Sergio Gonzalez is hoping the ‘magic’ of Cornella-El Prat can inspire Espanyol to victory in their Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Athletic Bilbao.
The Catalans are considered favourites to reach the final of the cup competition thanks to their 1-1 draw at San Mames three weeks ago, and the Coach is keen to see his side’s fans play the role of the 12th man on Wednesday.
“The club have made a serious commitment to the new stadium and hopefully [on Wednesday] the magic of Cornella [El Prat] can lay the foundations for success on this pitch,” he told reporters.
“The relationship between the team and fans is unique. Playing in front of a full house at our stadium, everything should go to plan.
“We will compete and have a great game. For three weeks we’ve been looking forward to this match.
“I see the players with a positive type of anxiety, and I hope they can express their feelings of passion and adrenaline.
“None of my players are tired. We all want to participate in a game like this.
“It will be very difficult and intense as Athletic don’t get tired easily and will be frustrated by their elimination from the Europa League.”