An afternoon of much needed catharsis

Last Sunday afternoon at Reale was not just any afternoon, no matter how the rival on duty was “simple” under the category. Some clouds covered the sky of the stadium, and a storm threatened around two in the afternoon. La Real came off a string of six consecutive games without tasting a victory, with no victory to put in their mouths. And, moreover, the culmination, which is still fresh in the memory, is the departure against Rome of Mourinho in European competition. The atmosphere was quite rare, and Elche’s visit raised more questions than answers. The victory over the people of Elche was considered in terms of absolute necessity; otherwise, the clouds will end up reducing, and the afternoon will be unpleasant in Donostia. So, Saturday’s game is a kind of intermediate test, revalidation in the middle of the course, mandatory.

And things went well, and the sun came out, finally making a hole between the challenging clouds. La Real settled the promise with a note, firstly because they finally added three points, and secondly, because they did it on the best path, the one they have successfully traveled many times in the past.

From the first moments of the game I felt, and I shared it with those closest to me, that this game would not escape Anoeta, no matter how much the team continued to suffer from an alarming lack of punch. It is a matter of time before, exploring these paths, the common ones, the result will come to an end.

The actions of the main characters after the victory showed the load of tension that had accumulated over days and weeks, and was finally released in a moment of collective delirium.

Who said that afternoon was an afternoon for paperwork, another interspersed within a very long calendar? The team needed an afternoon of catharsis that would allow it to renew, restore, or as we would surely say today, reset.

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE

…or “attorney of Diego“, because after the brilliant performance of Aihen Munoz against Elche, giving the impression that Diego Rico He will need a lawyer to defend him from all the derivatives of the comparison with the Etxauri footballer that one has read and heard in the last hours. Aihen He went in 90 minutes from ostracism to stardom, while “dropping his partner and rival for ownership in misery”, Diego Rico. The Navarrese capped off an impressive performance last Sunday against Elche, from minute one to ninety. That was enough to instantly make him the undisputed holder of the left rear lane, while Richheadlines for days by the decision of imanol, not only has he lost his status as a starter in the eyes of a sector of fans, but he has also automatically become one of the dispensable players in this squad, just weeks after the club’s sports management decided to offer him a renewal . I want to believe that if the coach trusted the man from Burgos at some stage of the competition, it was because he understood that it was valid, as it is now. Aihen. Diego You don’t need a lawyer, but just in case…

14′ OF MANY CARAT

His interpretation is short, hardly lasting fourteen minutes, but it is of such quality that it deserves to be examined. I am referring to the fourteen minutes of andre guevara last Sunday against Elche. To all of us who continue to trust the Gasteiz player, his appearance in the last, difficult minutes of the game tasted glorious. He did everything right and left a really sweet taste in our mouths.

A GOAL AGAIN

Another one of those who were blessed on Sunday was Ander Barrenetxea. He has less time than Guevara, about nine minutes, but they were enough to remind everyone, including himself, that he was still there; He may not be the best winger in the world, but if it has to be done, it’s done. But there are other things the man from San Sebastian knows how to do better, and he likes to remind us, just in case.

DID YOU KNOW…?

– imanol He asserts that you have to wait 5 games to find out why the team is fighting. You may not have to wait that long. Let the numbers do the talking.

– In the last three seasons, the European awards, Real finished in the same position as today (26 disputed).

– In 2019-20 he was sixth and finished sixth; in 2020-21 he did not move from fifth place; and the previous one was sixth and finished the same. So…it seems easy to predict what will happen.