Athletic Club - FC Barcelona

Athletic Club has lost against FC Barcelona by 1-2. De Marcos scored the only Athletic Club goal and Xavi and Pedro scored for the visiting team. Just as occurred in the earlier Europa League qualifying round, the first leg has provided an uphill qualifying round and that’s how things are in the Supercopa with the ‘only disadvantage’ that the rival is not the Young Boys but rather FC Barcelona, who are lately used to sweeping to victory in every competition they touch, which gives an idea of the difficulty of the work ahead, although more difficult things have been seen in football and some have even carried out by our team.

That will be on Sunday, the 23rd, since for a starter Athletic Club confronts, also in San Mamés, the previously mentioned first leg of the European competition play-off against the Norwegian team Tromsø. On the first festive Sunday, in a match full of options, played at a high pace, especially considering that around this time most teams are playing the equivalent of Mickey Mouse Cups and the like, the enormous blaugrana quality inclined a scale that if for quite a few minutes was unbalanced it was in the opposite direction to what the forecasts predicted. In spite of it all, our team gave better symptoms than two weeks ago in La Catedral.

Nevertheless, the start has been hair-raising. FC Barcelona has adapted better, it’s overcome the first signs of pressure from the rival and Bojan threatened to continue his scoring streak against Athletic or in San Mamés. In the minute 2, he crossed wide and in the 4th only Iraizoz’ fingers tips, something normal yesterday, were able to deflect the shot to the crossbar. In the minute 10, Alves always faithful to his quality, and also to his usual resentment in San Mamés, kicked an unbelievable shot which Iraizoz sent to corner and, to close off the poker hand, Xavi had a clear occasion in the minute 23, although the goal was palpable, he shot right into the stands.

It was a matter of time before we saw the rival get ahead, but the lions stretched themselves out, slowly, but surely and, until the break they also showed better aim than their adversary. From being organized, having uneven luck with pressure and not creating any occasions, the last part of the first half brought about a balanced match and opportunities for the locals.

Ocio wholeheartedly finished off a cross from Susaeta in the minute 31, with such bad luck that it brushed Llorente enough to end up hitting the crossbar in Valdés’ goal. It wasn’t a bad start and San Mamés newcomer, De Marcos, picked up a ball under pressure closer to the centre field than to the rival area and tried to loop it over the goalie but the Catalan goalkeeper made the save with his hand. In the 42, he preferred not to finish off a deep ball from Iraola, with a lot in his favour, and has chosen to back pass, a doubt he wouldn’t have close to the break when Orbaiz stole a ball that ended up in his boots and, after an individual play, he shot with his left to score his fourth goal of the preseason, his first in an official match and his first in San Mamés; all this after Puyol’s attempt to clear was in vain. There was madness in the stands and visualization, perhaps for the first time, of the possibility of beating the blaugrana team.

That perspective is perhaps what encouraged the rojiblancos to come out on equal grounds in the second half. The pressure was suffocating, the ball was stolen in compromising zones and Xavi was not receiving too many balls with which to energize his team. The ball was more often near the culé area than our own, but quality is what there is and in just two sparks FC Barcelona turned the match around. A ball not cleared in the 58 ended up in Xavi’s boots and this time he didn’t forgive. Eight minutes later Pedro shot from outside the area far from Iraizoz’ reach. Between one goal and the other Toquero and Castillo substituted De Marcos and Gabilondo, who was returning from an injury, but the comeback was very difficult because the reigning Liga and Copa champions have known how to finish the match and even enjoyed occasions like the one by Alves in the 77, when he connected a tremendous lash to the crossbar with Iraizoz again intervening.

The heart no longer connected with the head, Etxeberria had replaced Llorente minutes earlier, and the attempts by Koi, a shot over the crossbar, and in injury time by Castillo and Toquero, have been sterile. Spectators have known how to recognize the effort and strokes of good game before a rival whom the clever ones by half (where do they sell those meters) said were destitute (in short) and have seen theirs off with a round of applause. What is certain is that, on Thursday, the joy of the Aste Nagusia should increase with the first victory of the season in San Mamés. We won’t have to face Barça, but don’t think it will be an easy task.