Marcelino: “We’ve missed out on a good opportunity to win”

Athletic head coach Marcelino García had bittersweet feelings after the Lions’ 0-0 draw against Deportivo Alavés at Mendizorrotza on Sunday evening.

Chances were few and far between during the LaLiga Santander fixture as strong defences dominated affairs in the Basque capital of Vitoria-Gasteiz.

“We deserved to win more than our opponents,” Marcelino said at his post-match press conference. “The result’s annoyed me because I think we’ve missed out on a good opportunity to win.

“We were in control of the situation and we didn’t let Alavés have many chances. We were good in defence and in possession, but in the final third we lacked intensity, aggression and the ability to win duels. We had to be more intense.”

He continued: “We didn’t make the right decisions or attack the box with the same determination as in previous matches. We lacked aggression, intensity and mobility.

“What’s more, playing against Alavés is not easy because they put you under a lot of pressure. All of that prevented us from getting three points today.”