Standing on the touchline at the famed Camp Nou, Wu Lei knew there was little he could do at the death. The Chinese striker was summoned from the bench just four minutes from full-time as Espanyol trailed 1-0 to their bitter rivals Barcelona in a cagey Catalan derby. For all their desperate attempts to delay the inevitable, Francisco Rufete's players seldom looked as if they could influence the result.

Long gone are the days when Wu snatched an improbable draw from the jaws of defeat and gave Espanyol a whole new lease on life after shocking their more illustrious neighbors at home in January. This time around, as Luis Suarez struck the only goal of the game on Wednesday, Espanyol's fate was sealed. Languishing in 20th and 11 points adrift of safety with only three games left to play, they no longer belong in the top flight. The predictable loss has driven the final nail in the coffin for La Liga's bottom side.

Relegation happens, but for Los Periquitos' supporters, it's the first time they've experienced it in 27 years. Only Barcelona, Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao have stayed longer in the first division than Espanyol, who are one of the most awe-inspiring outfits in Spanish football.  

The club's remarkable fall from grace has been well-documented. Last season under Rubi, Espanyol finished seventh and clinched an incredible Europa League spot in reward for perfectly demonstrating how to battle together and fight for each other as a team on a tight budget.

However, before the new campaign started, Rubi was lured away by a lucrative offer from Real Betis, while top scorer Borja Iglesias and dependable defender Mario Hermoso also moved on to pastures new. Their failure to adequately replace those key cog's in the team's once formidable wheel contributed massively to their struggle in the following season.

Due to the threadbare nature of their squad, just five games out of 35 have been won, a mere 24 points taken out of a possible 105. They have conceded 55 goals with only 27 on the scoring chart. And away from home they have won just twice.

The 28-year-old Wu, who earned plaudits for playing a crucial role in Espanyol's admirable charge into Europe in his debut season, toiled to impress but ultimately failed to meet expectations during this sorry campaign as his trigger-happy club sacked three coaches in a row before Rufete took charge. 

Yes, there were some highs: Beating a robust Villarreal, taking a point off Leo Messi's Barcelona and managing a couple of rousing wins, but overall the club has been an utter disaster with a bland and unimaginative brand of football. On too many occasions, Wu was consigned to the bench and felt helpless about not being able to step forward to help out.

The gap between ambition and achievement is extreme. Espanyol's expenditure last summer puts them close to the traditional league giants but performance left them among the minnows. Their tale of calamity doesn't deserve a happy ending. It was time to go.

"The current situation was very difficult to accept, but we go out with heads held high," said a defiant Rufete after the game. "We have tried our best to give joy to our fans, and the sadness we feel today should serve as a lesson for the future. From the depths of our hearts, we want to apologize to all of our people."

Espanyol barely have time to wallow in sadness. The club will need to inject further quality and quantity into the squad if they are to seriously challenge for an instant promotion back to the top flight. However, considering the massive financial hole they had dug for themselves during the worst season in their history, it could be a very tall order.

It is unclear if Wu would choose to stay put or jump off the sinking ship. Facing the dilemma of whether to strive to help Espanyol in times of need or to continue to play elite football for another club, it will be a long summer for the Chinese star.