Espanyol asks for La Liga relegation to be scrapped amid COVID-19 chaos
CGTN
Espanyol's Wu Lei (L) celebrates scoring his team's second goal as Barcelona's Jordi Alba looks dejected during their La Liga clash at RCDE Stadium, January 4, 2020. /VCG

Espanyol's Wu Lei (L) celebrates scoring his team's second goal as Barcelona's Jordi Alba looks dejected during their La Liga clash at RCDE Stadium, January 4, 2020. /VCG

Espanyol won't give up so easily. Nearly a month after being consigned to the second division due to a disastrous season, the Spanish side issued a statement on Monday calling on the footballing authority in Spain to cancel their relegation.

"Circumstances have arisen that have prevented the league from being held in equal state for all its participants," read the statement. "It had been undoubtedly unfair in a sporting sense given the last stage of the league was not competed in the same, equal conditions as before the suspension."

"Bearing in mind all the conditions that have occurred since the return to competition and in light of the events that have occurred in recent days, in which various clubs have expressed their opposition to the injustice and lack of solutions, RCD Espanyol argues for the elimination of relegations this season in competitions supervised by La Liga, as has happened in all those organized by the Spanish football federation (RFEF).," it added.

Espanyol then cited examples of the coronavirus-disrupted match between Deportivo and Fuenlabrada in La Liga 2, the absence of fans from stadiums and the high number of cases of COVID-19 in theirs and Valencia's squads during lockdown.

Wu Lei has netted 11 goals in 65 appearances for Espanyol since moving to La Liga in 2019. /VCG

Wu Lei has netted 11 goals in 65 appearances for Espanyol since moving to La Liga in 2019. /VCG

"If you add that to the affect of relegation, the accumulated penalties are devastating and unjust for the clubs affected," Espanyol concluded.

Los Periquitos were relegated to the second tier of Spanish football for the first time in 27 years after finishing bottom. It was a huge blow to Chinese star Wu Lei, who moved to Spain from Shanghai SIPG in January 2019 and became China's only footballer in Europe's top five leagues.

But the 28-year-old has vowed to stay to help Espanyol's bid to bounce back into topflight next season despite rumors to the contrary.

"My family feels comfortable living in the city of Barcelona. My teammates, club staff and fans have always been nice to me," Wu said in a recent interview.

"It's true that some clubs from Premier League, Bundesliga and La Liga contacted me, but I know what I truly want. The decision to stay was made for multiple reasons both on and off the pitch," he added.