BARCELONA, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Liga Santander club Espanyol has opened a football school in the Chinese city of Shanghai.

The school is the second that the Barcelona-based outfit have in China, following the inauguration of its first academy in Hunan several months ago and the recent signing of striker Wi Lei from Shanghai SIPG.

"This is another step in the internationalization of the club," confirmed Ye Mao, the Director of Espanyol's sports department.

"In China they are making a big investment in football and it is very positive to export an academy to the country. Everyone in China knows Espanyol and we have more fans all the time. Now with the signing of Wu Lei, everyone is an Espanyol fanatic," added Mao.