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RDT: "We will try to take all three points in the derby"
The striker returns for the Sunday showdown with FC Barcelona
After missing the match against Athletic Club due to suspension, Raúl de Tomás is back available for RCD Espanyol in Sunday's derby against FC Barcelona. The team's striker and top scorer is preparing his first such fixture at the RCDE Stadium, and talked to the media in a press conference in the run-up to the game.
"I've spoken with some teammates and I hope for a nice atmosphere -and that there are no incidents before and during the game. I want the fans to support us, because we will give everything for them," he explained.
"It is a very nice game, so why not take advantage of this opportunity to change our bad dynamics against opponents like Barça? Obviously it's a different fixture, because of all that surrounds it. I face it like I face every game: Aware of the responsibility that comes with playing in this game, but with the same desire as always."
RDT has previous experience of the derby from the match at the Camp Nou earlier this season, in which he twice hit the post in a 1-0 defeat.
"Obviously I have some unfinished business, but not only because of the chances that I've missed. I think that we deserved more from the game itself. We had a great game and, as I said at the time, I feel as if we could have got more from it than we did. Without a doubt, this weekend we will try to take the three points and make our fans happy."
Espanyol find themselves in a dip in results, but their forward believes that this can change with a win on Sunday.
"We shouldn't make such a drama out of defeats. What we need to do is try to change the negative things that happen in a loss into positives. We haven't been getting the results that we want, and at times things don't feel positive, but we're here to change things. This weekend we have an opportunity to do that."
"It's good to have that level of demand on us. If people didn't push us, then we would stop doing things. Sometimes it doesn't work out as we want, but that isn't for want of trying."
As for the strategy for the derby, RDT commented that "We have to manage our enthusiasm and that of the fans. We need to be mature and to be aware that we are going to suffer at times."