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Dani Jarque Training Ground celebrates 25 years of building the future of La21
The Club commemorates this anniversary alongside those who have helped build and develop a place that is central to the identity of RCD Espanyol
RCD Espanyol de Barcelona has celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Dani Jarque Training Ground with an internal event that brought together Club professionals and representatives from different generations and periods in the institution’s history.
Under the slogan “25 years building the future of La21”, the gathering provided an opportunity to revisit the origins of a facility founded thanks to the determination of many people. Over the past quarter of a century, it has evolved into an essential place for development, community and the transmission of the Club’s blue-and-white identity.
The event paid special tribute to former president Dani Sánchez Llibre, who led and promoted the project, and Rafa Marañón, former player and coach, current Club board member and architect of the facility. Both played a fundamental role in turning the original idea into a reality and laying the foundations for what this place represents for RCD Espanyol today.
Through a series of personal accounts, the event traced the project’s history, from the challenges faced during its early years and construction to its subsequent transformation and vision for the next 25 years. It is a journey shaped by collective effort and by the commitment of everyone who has cared for, supported and helped develop the Dani Jarque Training Ground through their work.
The anniversary also highlighted one of La21’s greatest legacies: the return to the Club of professionals who developed here or wore the blue-and-white shirt and who now pass on their knowledge, experience, values and passion for Espanyol to new generations. A virtuous circle connecting the past, present and future.
As a symbol of this continuity, an olive tree has been planted as the first tree at the Dani Jarque Training Ground. Its roots represent all those who have built this 25-year history; the tree symbolises the present-day commitment of everyone who works for the Club, while its fruit represents the generations who have developed and will continue to develop at La21.
Twenty-five years on, the Dani Jarque Training Ground continues to embody the essence of RCD Espanyol: roots, belonging, collective effort and commitment to the future. Honouring those who brought us this far also means continuing to nurture what they built.