Of course, the arrival of players like Ruiz de Galarreta and the good work of the Williams brothers also had something to do with it all. With the departure of Iñigo Martínez and the absence of Yeray, Vivian and Paredes more than delivered.
Behind, the security and force of Unai Simón remains intact. All this, added to the change of mentality that seems to have taken place in the locker room, makes Athletic a team with a new character that dreams of Europe again.
However, we already know that just dreaming is not enough. Last season also started well for the Bilbao team and things went from bad to worse until they went a year without reaching European competitions. The team is deflated and the lack of effectiveness leaves it, again, without reward. This year something seems to have changed, or at least that’s the feeling.
The group led by Ernesto Valverde showed a stronger character trying to leave the days where the team collapsed every time it took a goal. Now the lions took a step forward, and they clearly showed it on August 27 with an epic comeback against Betis in San Mamés.
Getting strong in San Mamés
San Mamés is certainly one of the keys to consider if Athletic wants to maintain the current dynamic. Unlike last season where so many points were lost at home, this year one of the goals should be to make Cathedral a fortress.
So far, one loss, one draw and two home wins in four games. A balance that could be improved to make San Mamés a stadium as feared and complicated as rival players and coaches describe it.
To this end, as we have already mentioned, the quality of the squad and the renewed character of the group invite us to be optimistic. However, as can be seen, there are still things to improve. The poor effectiveness and lack of goals that plagued the team last season is still a work in progress. It is true that this year the lions showed a more vertical game and forgave less, but they still need to refine their goal more and score higher than they did not pass.
In other words, maintain regularity, play well and don’t forgive anything so that, today, we can enter Europe and say: the seventh time is a lucky one.
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.
