Athletic are coming off a defeat in San Mamés against Girona and some important players from their squad. Osasuna, on the other hand, are full of morale after their hard-fought victory over Sevilla at the Pizjuán. Fix the dosed forces and the red fans are excited to be back in a final.
1. Two losses in a row and bad feelings
The second half of the Metropolitano and, above all, the complete game against Girona in San Mamés caused alarms at Athletic. The team does not know how to live according to the circumstances of any of them. The defeat against Atlético could be seen coming after the break and it came with a goal from Griezmann. The one last Sunday at home also seemed clear after the third visitor’s goal in the last seconds of the first half. Valverde’s men lacked the ability to respond on both occasions, although they did not consider themselves defeated until the final whistle. His football, yes, left a lot to be desired.
2. The infirmary is replenished after the last appointment
Last Sunday against Girona it became clear how important the loss of Nico Williams is for this Athletic. Valverde, with the younger sibling injured, opted to field the older winger with Guruzeta as center forward and Berenguer on the left wing. At the break, however, he switched to the right wing, crossed for Iñaki Williams and placed Muniain as a left winger with Raúl García instead of Guruzeta. In addition to the invention not working, Valverde gradually lost Unai Simón, Yeray and Morcillo to injury. Raúl García, for his part, finished the fight, but with an arm injury.
3. Arrasate went round in Seville and won and Osasuna was convinced
Osasuna, unlike Athletic, will approach the first leg of the Cup semifinal with high spirits after their emphatic victory on Sunday against Sevilla at the Sánchez Pizjuán. Jagoba Arrasate faced this match with a pulling rotation to have fresher men in tomorrow’s duel against the lions. Not Valverde, Valverde broke away from his usual block for the home duel against Girona which ended in a local defeat and new patients in the rojiblanca infirmary. The red-and-white coach for the exit got the same bet under the sticks with the resulting change of goalkeepers from one day to another.
4. El Sadar faced this conflict with all the enthusiasm of the world
Tomorrow is not just any game for Osasuna. The rojillo club, its professionals and its fans know the importance for the entity of returning to the final Cup after many years. Sunday’s victory only came to boost their morale and enthusiasm for the clash against the lions. The rojillos have also shown that they can and know how to be strong away from Sadar. A full house at the Navarrese stadium is guaranteed in advance, although it is certain that the Athletic players, as is usually the case, will not walk alone on this occasion either.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
