Real Madrid - Athletic Club

Real Madrid 5-Athletic Club 1


Athletic Club has lost (5-1) in the Santiago Bernabéu before Real Madrid. Yeste scored the goal for our team and Ronaldo (penalty) Higuain, Ramos, Benzema and Marcelo those of the locals. A defeat that leaves us in the immovable eighth place, even though there’s still the last Liga match left to play against Deportivo.

That is the concise story of a match in which losing was part of the forecast, and which settles, though with a bitter taste, a good season in which the foundations were set for a young team that will have to be more and more competitive. Nevertheless, from what was seen, the match, it’s possible to affirm that the punishment was excessive and that the second to last Liga encounter has been conditioned by external factors that obviously escape what the best or worse sports behaviour of a team can control on the pitch.

It’s a well-known subject that would allow for more than one chapter. However, the fact that rain soaks the same grass for the umpteenth time and, as an example, last season’s match in San Mamés was disputed with almost the identical characters and similar demands, necessity and difficult conditions, would be enough to resort to the newspaper library. That way we save editorialists and wise experts the work. What’s more, is not necessary to be a fortune teller to know that in the next few hours one of the main topics will be the penalty… that was presumably not called in Sevilla.

And it’s not a cheap excuse, but neither is it expensive. Real Madrid has had enough opportunities, as usual. Clearly! The local team has had more ball possession; it possesses many qualities. Certainly! It amasses dream-like players and numbers with which it’s faced the current season in search of a triple title that may come to nothing. True. Despite all of the above, until the match was conditioned, the outcome of the match was not as clear as the 5-1 final result reflects. Because the rival for the Liga title put their game on track soon and because Athletic was well-positioned on the field with their mind set on pushing for the European options that had escaped them on the last three Liga appointments in San Mamés.

Shortly after the start Toquero headed in a free-kick, but Casillas made the save. Ronaldo had the first local attempt, but Iraizoz’ response has been similar. After the rumour of Barcelona’s first goal spread in the Bernabéu, in the 9′ Ronaldo shot high without opposition. Aside from this, the clearest occasion was for Toquero, who in the minute 16 stole a ball and stood alone before Casillas, however, in the end the weight of the run overcame him and he was unable to finish it off. And that’s where the match ended in equality, at least numerical.

Another one began two minutes later. It’s not strange in football that infinity of teams, in a multitude of matches, must play with ten men, but it hurts more if the origin of the situation is shady. And those that have seen the images will agree in that in the minute 18 a shot by Higuain was voluntarily cut off, with premeditation and treachery, by the hand of Amorebieta and that it was also a manifest goal occasion since the ball was headed into the right angle. In a play of those characteristics the one in charge of distributing justice has no other option than to show the red card to anyone named Amorebieta. And that’s exactly what occurred, to our surprise and even the surprise of others. A penalty and goal transformed by Ronaldo that, along with the results originating from other grounds, increased the difficulty of the task undertaken even more.
Caparrós did not make any immediate substitutions in a team that, from the beginning, did not count on Llorente in its rows. Gurpegi took up the midfield and De Marcos, one of the new features of the night, moved to the midfield to form a 1-4-4-1, with only Toquero as striker.

Athletic’s response made honour to the fame and legend that surrounds our jersey and the players made a supreme effort before a team that represents a club that has been able to spend two hundred million Euros and does not appear ashamed of continuing to do so. It was difficult to endure because the initiative was almost exclusively white, although the next clear option was a deep shot by Koikili, in the minute 27, deflected by Casillas with his feet.

Ronaldo has led the offensive with a free-kick blocked by Iraizoz in the 32, as occurred with a shot by Higuain and another two vain attempts by Gago and Granero, but the evening’s best goal was scored by Yeste in the 41 after a beautiful personal play culminated with a line-drive shot before an impotent Casillas.

At the break the tension was clear in the locals, especially due to their rival’s advantage for the title, whereas in our rows we were conscious that there was still a whole lot in play. Unfortunately that’s what happened.
Pellegrini brought in Kaká for Gago. Real Madrid launched their attack. Ronaldo created the first occasion, once again caught by Iraizoz. Susaeta came in for De Marcos with the intention of making the counterattack easier, while the Madrilenian squad was striking like a steam hammer: Granero shot the crossbar and Marcelo finished off wide with a header.
On the contrary, Athletic kept their cool and in the 61st minute Yeste enjoyed a clear occasion of getting ahead on the scoreboard after a textbook counterattack, but unfortunately once again Casillas turned it away with his feet. Without pause, Ronaldo shot wide with his right and in the 64th Iraizoz blocked a shot by Higuain shortly before Gabilondo replaced Yeste. From the opponent’s bench, Benzema replaced Granero and shortly after had the chance to beat Iraizoz, but he parried off to corner.

With Llorente ready to come in the second local goal arrived. New free-kick at the edge of the area and the cross was combed by Gabilondo, Ronaldo and Javi Martinez before Iraizoz turned it away, however Higuain happened by and headed it into the net.

It was the minute 73 and Athletic tried to react. Llorente came on for Toquero and Susaeta shot a high volley. And what was already difficult turned impossible in the 80 when Ramos took advantage of a pass attempt to a player that was offside and the play ended up in an improvised and involuntary one-two shot clinched into the net by Ramos. With no time to react or assimilate, Benzema scored the fourth and just before regulation time Marcelo scored the fifth. Too great a punishment for such a conditioned match and with a bitter taste to say good bye to European aspirations in a good season, but that’s how the competition is and we have to accept it. All in all, we still have to properly finish the Liga against Deportivo and bid farewell, or so long, to Joseba Etxeberria in what’s been baptized as the impossible match, a label that could well have been applied to this recently finished one.