Valverde’s team will once again have to play a game every three days. If Osasuna is eliminated, the number will increase to eight duels in 24 days. The coach marked it in red on the calendar because it was a difficult month. So far the rotations have worked and they are expected to not slow down now that they face the direct Cup qualifiers and enter the second round of LaLiga, where they are counting on themselves to maintain fourth place.
Only in Europe can the lions be allowed a little rest, but this is also not advisable because, even if they are classified, being as high as possible paves the way, a priori, for subsequent crossings. Athletic goes through phases and if it wants to be well placed in the decisive phase of the season it must maintain a certain regularity as it has until now.
The most immediate thing is getting through to the round of 16 of the Cup, the favorite competition of the red and white. We cannot hide that Txingurri’s students are favorites, but they were also favorites two years ago in that famous semi-final against the rojillos and they fell to Pablo Ibáñez’s goal. Let us not skin a bear before it hunts.
A single-match cup tie in a derby is always difficult. The advantage is that everything is decided under the protection of San Mamés and the balance tips in favor of the locals. Osasuna arrived mired in a negative streak of seven games without a win in LaLiga, with four draws and three defeats.
End the good streak
The defeat in Arabia snapped a fourteen-fight unbeaten streak and snapped that stratospheric figure of 26 consecutive single-match knockout rounds since 2003. The counter is set to zero to try to do it again of history in the two knockout competitions they remain in zurigorris.
Athletic closed 2024 with the feeling that it was an unstoppable team. He won through play, physicality, craft or superior punch, but the truth is that the team’s level of maturity and confidence made them almost invincible. The new year left us with a classification on penalties against a rival in the fourth category and an elimination from the Super Cup. Time to get back on track.
If they reach the quarterfinals, they will have to play again in the first week of February, but first they will have to think about defending their place in the Champions League against Celta, Leganés or Betis. The trip to Istanbul to visit Besiktas and the home clash against Viktoria Pilzen should serve to round off a good first leg of the Europa League.
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.
