The 2016-17 campaign delivered a vital year of progress for Espanyol as Los Pericos finished a respectable 8th in La Liga under the new management of Quique Sánchez Flores, their best league finish in a decade. Spearheading the charge was the clinical local hero Gerard Moreno, whose 13 league goals anchored an attack that also featured experienced new signings like José Antonio Reyes. The season, which culminated in a solid top-half finish, was built on renewed consistency and marked a defining step forward in re-establishing the club's status.