Espanyol have returned to La Liga the following season on each of the five occasions that they have been relegated, but that is in more doubt than ever this season. Los Pericos look likely to make the play-offs, but could be without their best forward for those crucial matches.

Currently Espanyol sit fourth in Segunda, with a three point cushion to seventh place and four games remaining, in a jam-packed race for promotion. After a draw with Sporting Gijon over the weekend, they now sit six points adrift of Leganes and Real Valladolid in the automatic promotion spots.

If they do make the play-offs, there could be a situation where star forward Martin Braithwaite is unavailable. The play-offs begin on the 8th of June, with the semi-final return leg on the 12th, and the two legs of the final on the 16th and 23rd. Meanwhile the Euros kick off on the 14th of June, but managers can call up their players from the third of June.

What happens if Espanyol are in the play-offs and Martin Braithwaite is called up by Denmark?

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about, because these things don’t exist in my head. We will go up automatically, and that’s that.” #rcde pic.twitter.com/pv5tjezPjE

— Football España (@footballespana_) May 8, 2024

Braithwaite responded to the question saying that he was focusing on going up in the automatic positions, but it does look as if Espanyol will be without their top scorer, and Segunda’s top scorer, if that is the case. After going AWOL at the start of the season, and apologising to the club, Braithwaite has now scored 20 goals in 35 games, providing two assists as well.

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