In a preseason match on Sunday at the Ciutat Esportiva Dani Jarque, Espanyol and Toulouse will continue their preparations for the 2024–25 campaign.
Both teams have had successful preseasons thus far; the visitors have won three and drawn one, while the hosts have won one.
Following their 2022–2023 La Liga relegation as the 19th-place team, Espanyol was able to return to the top level the following season.
When Manolo Gonzalez took over as manager in March 2024, the team was already in fourth place. He led the team to a playoff spot, where they defeated Sporting Gijon 1-0 over two legs to secure a spot in the championship game.
Espanyol faced Real Oviedo in the two-leg final. The Parakeets won 2-1 overall with to two goals from Javi Puado in the 44th and 47th minutes of the second leg. Espanyol had lost 1-0 in the first leg.
Gonzalez's team has already played two friendly matches before returning to the top division, where they will be expected to battle for their survival. They defeated Huesca 1-0 and secured a draw against La Liga opponents Girona.
Prior to their La Liga debut against Real Valladolid later this month, Espanyol will be looking to build on their winning performance in their final two preseason games against Toulouse and FC Heidehnheim.
Toulouse, on the other hand, was relegated in 2019–20 after the coronavirus ended the Ligue 1 season. However, Les Violets quickly made their way back to the top tier, winning the Ligue 2 championship and earning promotion on their second try.
In their first season back, Toulouse won the Coupe de France title for the first time, defeating Nantes 5-1 in the final, and finished comfortably 13 points above relegation.
The team led by Spanish manager Carles Martinez finished 11th in the previous season, and he will be keen to move his team into the top half of the standings in 2024–25.
They have undoubtedly had a successful preseason in order to be ready for that task; they have defeated Girona 4-0, drawn 2-2 with Pau FC, defeated Roma 1-0, and defeated Rodez AF 2-1.
Toulouse's last preseason friendly against Espanyol will take place before their first Ligue 1 encounter against Nantes, and Martinez will be hoping his team can continue to build on its impressive form heading into the league season.
Pere Milla may start at the front of the team this season as Martin Braithwaite, who scored 22 goals for the hosts last year, has gone on to play for Gremio.
With the first game of the season quickly approaching, Puado—who scored 13 goals for the team in La Liga 2—may be headed for his first preseason appearance in this one.
In their thrilling wins against Roma and Girona, Toulouse fielded starting lineups that were identical, and we anticipate that Martinez will do the same in this contest.
Frank Magri is most likely to start for the team after Thijs Dallinga, the top scorer from the previous campaign, left in favor of Bologna during the summer transfer window.
Because the 19-year-old is representing France in the 2024 Olympics, Guillaume Restes is still not available for selection; therefore, Alex Dominguez should continue to be a member of the squad.
