 He stayed six-and-a-half years at the club.Although he had the opportunity to move in number of occasions, he chose to stay, for example in 1998 when he stayed so as to reconnect with his former coach Bielsa, and he also rejected an offer from Valencia in the 1999–2000 season out of loyalty to the club.In that season, he helped Espanyol beat Atlético Madrid in the 2000 final of the Copa del Rey, winning their first major trophy in 60 years.