Bryan Zaragoza responds after La Rosaleda booing and “no message” claim

Bryan Zaragoza, the Espanyol forward, defended himself after LaLiga returned to La Rosaleda following his goal that put the visitors 0-1 up and sparked tension with Málaga’s crowd. In the first half, he beat Puga and Calero with a run of his own and finished past Herrero, then during the celebration he touched his ear toward the stands.

Chant and reaction

The atmosphere escalated when part of the home end started singing “Bryan, muérete”. The game had already turned edgy: earlier, Bryan clashed with Carlos Puga after their heads collided in an incident that ended with yellow cards for both players. He stayed involved, drew boos every time he touched the ball, and was replaced in the 73rd minute.

“I didn’t send a message”

After the match, Bryan insisted: “I didn’t send any message to the fans… I respect Málaga because it’s my hometown club, but if I score, why can’t I celebrate?”. He added that he dedicated the goal to his son and wife and asked forgiveness if anyone felt offended. MARCA