Espanyol’s Rising Star Omar El Hilali Rejects Barcelona Offer, Pledges Loyalty to Club

In an interview with the show "Què t’hi jugues!" on Cadena Ser, the 21-year-old right-back said he had rejected advances from FC Barcelona out of loyalty to the "Pericos". "I said no to Barça. I’ve been a Perico since I was little and this club has always attracted me," he said. He even claimed to have received offers from Barça before joining Espanyol, and then again during his move from the youth academy to the juniors, but that he had never considered accepting them. "My heart is 100%, 1,000% Perico," he insisted.

Tied to Espanyol until June 2027, Omar El Hilali would see himself spending his entire career with the club that gave him his chance. "If Espanyol offers me a lifetime contract, I’ll stay here forever," he said. "It’s the club that believed in me when I was young and didn’t have a clear head. They were the first to reach out to me and I never forget those who make an important gesture for me and my family."

The young Moroccan international was also pleased with Espanyol’s recent victory over Mallorca before the international break. "This victory did us a lot of good to regain confidence," he analyzed. He also took the opportunity to salute the work of his coach, Manolo Gonzalez: "He is a coach who had to fight to get where he is today. I hope he will remain in the elite for many years, because he deserves it."

Omar El Hilali concluded the interview by discussing his versatility on the field. Trained as a winger, he then played the position of third central defender before establishing himself as a right-back. "All that’s left is to play goalkeeper! (laughs) The position I’m playing now suits me a lot, it’s the one where I can best express my potential and I feel very comfortable," he concluded.