RCD Espanyol celebrate 125th anniversary with Barcelona gala

RCD Espanyol celebrated its 125th anniversary with a special event on Tuesday evening at the University of Barcelona.

Current and former players, representatives from rival clubs, and politicians – including Catalan President Salvador Illa – came together to celebrate 125 years of the football club.

During the ceremony – broadcast live on Catalan TV by public broadcaster 3Cat – Espanyol took the opportunity to honor its players and fans, past and present.

"This is a very happy and proud occasion," Espanyol president and owner Alan Pace told media before the ceremony.

"It's a day to celebrate this community, this club, it's very special," added Pace, who was presented as president and new owner of the Catalan club just two weeks ago.

The event also drew figures from rival clubs, including Rafael Yuste and Elena Fort of FC Barcelona, and Emilio Butragueño of Real Madrid, among others.

Political figures in attendance included President Salvador Illa, Parliament Speaker Jordi Turull, and the mayors of several cities, among them Barcelona's Jaume Collboni.

"The president supports all teams, but Salvador Illa is an Espanyol fan," Illa told the audience, highlighting his own personal affection for the club he has supported since childhood.

In his speech, Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni underscored the club's continued significance to the city, despite its current location outside municipal limits.

Although the club's stadium today is based outside the borders of Barcelona – straddling Cornellà and El Prat – the University of Barcelona is a symbolic location for the club, as it was there that a group of students led by Ángel Rodríguez founded Espanyol in 1900.

In addition to the formal proceedings, the club launched a commemorative exhibition at the University of Barcelona.

Open to the public throughout the week, the display traces the milestones, memorable matches, and iconic players that have defined Espanyol since its founding in 1900.