“We have done a good collective job”

Following Athletic Club’s 0-0 draw against Real Madrid CF on Matchday 18 of La Liga Santander and the last match of 2019, Gaizka Garitano has appeared before the media in the Santiago Bernabéu’s press room. “We lost a lot of the ball in the first half, but I liked the second half better: we suffered less and we were better positioned; we finished the match with a good feeling. The team has done a good collective work, very whole and pressing at the top. It’s not easy to take a point from here and keep a clean sheet, you need a bit of luck (because of the three goals conceded). Athletic showed up and finished the match on top,” summed up the red-and-white coach.

When asked about the change in the system that has led him to line up five defenders today, Garitano admitted that ” I put tall, strong people who I thought would do well for this match: we gained height for the set-piece and strength in midfield. We were more afraid of the set-piece and their counter-attacks.” On the possibility of repeating this approach, he also assumed that “having a plan B is fine for once in a while, but there are things I did not like in certain aspects.”

“We are living from the present, the team has improved a lot compared to a year ago, but we have to think about continuing to grow. We are ambitious and we want more,” concluded the coach from Derio.