Vallecas’ draw served to end Athletic’s losing streak in the League and the Cup. The lions beat Valencia 1-2 at the Mestalla on February 11 and have since lost in the Liga against Atlético de Madrid at the Metropolitan 1-0 , at San Mamés against Girona 2-3 and against Osasuna at El Sadar in Cup 1-0. Last Sunday’s goalless draw against Rayo, from that perspective, marks a turning point in the rojiblancos’ downward trajectory.
The 0-0 draw against Iraola’s men may have been fair, but the truth is that at grass level there is a feeling that the lions have got more. His problem, again, lies in his null finishing efficiency. It is very difficult for the lions to generate danger between the three sticks of the rival goal and, above all, to score goals.
The feeling that the match against Rayo was under control prevailed for most of the first half and until Raúl de Tomás stepped into action, replacing his teammate Camello in the 66th minute. It was true that Álvaro García, with the ball posted, he managed to change the course of the match before the break and that Nico Williams had the option to give Athletic a three-point discount with a shot with his left foot that crashed over the crossbar.
Rayo de Iraola tried to play its tricks all the time, but found a superior opponent in many aspects of the game and applied enough in containment tasks to avoid shots against the well-defended goal again by Agirrezabala The lions, in the same way as it happened to them a few days before in El Sadar, were less successful from midfield forward than in defence. The presence of Iñigo Martínez in the axis of the back, by the way, made the Vallecanos feel in front.
The one in Vallecas was the first of the last four league events in which the lions were left without a goal in sight. After a 1-0 draw with Balaídos, Valverde’s men beat Valencia 1-2, lost again 1-0 at Metropolitano and drew goalless with Vallecas. These matches can also be added to the recent cup outing in Iruñea, where Valverde’s men also lost 1-0.
A strong Barça in defense
These last five matches away from San Mamés serve as an honest reflection of the serious problem the rojiblancos are having in goal away from San Mamés. One goal in the last five outings, two if you add the score at Anoeta in the derby that ended 3-1 in favor of Real.
Now, in any case, the people of Bilbao have to train again in San Mamés. The Barça leader arrives in Bilbao with the vitola of a team that has struggled to score a goal. We have to wait for events.
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.
