Espanyol 2 - Racing Santander 1

Espanyol: Kameni; Ibarra, Lopo, Pochettino, David García (Martín Posse 72'); Alex Fernández (De la Peña 70'), Ito; Corominas (Fredson 85'), Maxi, Oscar Serrano; Dani. 4-2-3-1.
Racing: Dudu Aouate; Oriol, Moratón, Bertín; Pedro López (Jonathan 82'), Anderson Silva, Ayoze; Parri (Nafti 65'), Benayoun, Morán; Aganzo (Javi Guerrero 17'). 3-3-3-1.

Team changes: Espanyol: Corominas for Fredson / Racing: Bertín, Ayoze for Juanma, Regueiro.

Goals:
1-0. 11. Dani. Picked up ball and scored after Coro shot deflected off defender.
1-1. 55. Javi Guerrero. Steered header wide of Kameni from Pedro López cross.
2-1. 80. Maxi (penalty). After Maxi himself brought down by Aouate in the area.

Espanyol took advantage of poor results from the teams around them to move up to second spot in the league with a 2-1 win over Racing Santander. The Catalans took an early lead when Dani picked up a loose ball to beat Aouate, and could have been further ahead at the break, Oscar Serrano hitting the post with a cross and Alex and Corominas both testing Aouate.

However Racing had had their chances as well, in particular a long shot from Javi Guerrero who had come on as an early substitute after Aganzo broke his arm challenging for a loose ball with Kameni. And it was Guerrero who found space ten minutes into the second half to steer a header past Kameni and level the match.

Lotina had controversially left Iván De la Peña on the bench at the start, preferring youth international Corominas ("Coro") to "el pelat", but he brought him on with twenty minutes to go. And within a few minutes he found the key to unlock the Racing defence, his through ball finding Maxi who fell under the challenge from Aouate. Referee Ramírez Domínguez immediately pointed to the spot, and when the protests from the visitors died down, Maxi himself stepped up to convert the penalty.

Maxi went a step to far a few minutes later though, getting himself sent off after trying to win himself another penalty but only succeeding in picking up a second yellow card for diving. Kameni had to save from Jonathan as the Cantabrians came looking for the equaliser, but Ito and Pochettino could also have increased the lead near the end. Racing's run of three league wins in a row had come to an end, and the Champions League tune bellowed out at Montjuic at the final whistle.