Numancia 0 - Espanyol 0

Numancia: Juanma; Pignol, Otxoa, Antonio, Palacios, Graff; Lee Chun Soo (Carlos Merino 73'), Pablo Sanz, Juan Carlos Moreno; Osorio (Pineda 79'), Tevenet (Miguel Angel Nuñez 70'). 5-3-2.
Espanyol: Kameni; Jarque (Martín Posse 60'), Lopo, Pochettino, David García; Miñambres, Ito, De la Peña (Fredson 85'), Maxi; Dani (Oscar Serrano 44'), Tamudo. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Numancia: Pablo Sanz for Jaime Molina / Espanyol: Jarque, Miñambres for Ibarra, Oscar Serrano.

Goals: None.

Espanyol moved back up above Real Madrid and Valencia to second spot after drawing 0-0 at Numancia. Miguel Angel Lotina's side had been passed by the two teams as they played the day before, but the manager was hopeful of victory against the bottom club in the league, despite resting two or three of his key players.

But although they did most of the attacking, they were unable to find a way through a well ordered defence, Pochettino, Maxi and De la Peña all failing to beat Juanma in the first half. And ten minutes before the break Tamudo was awarded a penalty by Velasco Carballo after he was brought down by Antonio, but the referee changed his mind and awarded a free kick outside the area after consulting with his linesman.

Tamudo lost his strike partner Dani to an injury on the stroke of half time, but he still went close a couple of times after the break. The home side hardly troubled Kameni throughout, a header wide by Pablo Sanz on the half hour mark and a shot just off target by Moreno in the second half their only real attempts at goal. And substitute Martín Posse had a last minute effort cleared off the line with the keeper beaten, which could have given the victory to the Catalans. But in the end they had to settle for a point which keeps them nine points behind leaders Barcelona.