Athletic faced the first year and tournament with only four of the lions that had just started in the final on April 6 against Mallorca in La Cartuja. Valverde, in other words, made a big round of Las Gaunas despite admitting the other day in the press room of Lezama that this kind of tie made him panic.
Agirrezabala, De Marcos, Paredes and Guruzeta formed the quartet of repeaters in the Bilbao group. The ‘sacrifice’, in this way, are Vivian, Yuri, Prados and the Williams. The absence of Galarreta and Sancet is due to both injuries.
Respect for UD Logroñes on the part of Athletic began at the exact moment in which the crossing between the two teams became known. Experience is a degree and in the Bilbao red-and-white locker room the disappointment suffered on October 7, 2003 in this same tournament against another mediocre still remains: Gimnástica de Torrelavega. The lions, coached that time also by Valverde, succumbed 2-1 to one of the lowest teams of Second B at the time.
That disappointment marked a turning point, since then the Bilbao team has won 25 consecutive single-game ties.
In grave danger
Yesterday there was a risk of ending a long and deserved streak. The Rioja team, despite being in the lower category, knows how to play their cards perfectly. The only thing missing from his risky bet was a bigger victory in the penalty shootout.
Round where, as in the final in Mallorca, the figure of Agirrezabala reappeared. The Athletic goalkeeper, without precedent all night, managed to deflect the home team’s second shot from the deadly spot. A stoppage, like in the final against Mallorca, made the path to qualification easier.
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.
