Athletic – Atlético | Copa del Rey: Athletic is a family

ANDFebruary 29, unusual in itself, is a great day for unusual events. For example, reaching the final. Ultimately, this is something you sign up for once or twice a year…at best. He is again certified by Athletic, who will be one of the teams competing for the Cup on April 6 in Seville, so Bilbao celebrates again. It is true that the opponent of the day seems approachable, although he earned respect as the San Mamés team lost six title games in a row.. But these are future conversations. The present was marked by an incredible score of 3:0.

Apart from the ardent optimists, Atlético Madrid have been overcome by a curse since they saw their castle conquered. To make matters worse, the one who almost never gets injured got injured (and also the one who almost always gets injured), so Simeone gave up what he had. And that’s not enough. It was a good tournament for the capital team, including the first match, regardless of the result, but it leaves a bitter feeling that can hardly be sweetened with Inter syrup. Either that or get carried away, showing the seams of poor planning. With Griezmann, perhaps not either, but without Griezmann there is definitely no heaven.

Atlético threatened, Athletic struck. Simeone’s team carried out a first act as orthodox as it was innocuous, Valverde’s team came with gunpowder every time. And the whole family, because Williams stewed it, and Williams ate it.. Niko put it on Iñaki the first time, so Iñaki didn’t stop until he put it on Niko the second: one action was off by an inch, the next one was actually in the cage. These were the three most exciting sets of 50 minutes, those that lasted until the break, in which, however, the ball belonged to the guests. The question is what to do about it…

Because Atlético also lost accuracy. He entered the decisive meeting with determination… but with blank cartridges. Correa and Morata are two problems today, but not the only ones. The whole point is that Athletic did not go to the slaughter, as was the case in many other cases, but knew how to bide its time. It didn’t even take a quarter of an hour to arrive: Lino had called a foul on the opposite field and night had fallen on the return leg, so Nico, with Nahuel’s tacit consent, moved to the left so that his brother would not find any obstacles on the field. a volley with which he, coming from the other side, turned San Mamés upside down.

Hermoso then began to lose balls, which is what his midfield demanded. The centre-back’s head is elsewhere and there is no sign that he is going to extend the game, although his partner in the lane didn’t help him either. This is exactly what happened later when Iñaki exposed him and Lino was not there to wait for him. By the time the second step arrived, Atlético had missed the only opportunity worthy of Correa’s name. Good that. By the break the situation was almost resolved

During the break there was general fun.

The second half was delayed due to medical attention in the stands. On the other hand, it’s worth clarifying, because before there was already a first stop of just a couple of minutes. It is amazing that Simeone, who is almost always so careful with changes, did not immediately move the tree, and indeed his team got off to an absurd start. Nico’s relationship with Nahuel, for example, bordered on cruelty. Sunset didn’t notice, but it bordered on cruelty. So the Argentinean finally came out as a triple replacement for Cholodue to which there was no shortage of candidates to leave the field.

Of course, these decisions had consequences: another goal for Athletic. Collective game, Sunset shoots, Oblak leaves where the goalkeeper cannot leave (terrible campaign by the Slovenian), and Guruzeta hammers the penultimate nail. As incredible as it seemed in the semi-final, and beyond the dignity of Riquelme and the performance of Aguirrezabala, everything that was missing was played to the advantage of the equipment.. When Martinez Munuera called it quits, there was less than half an hour left before the start of the new day… but it was still 29. An almost unique date in terms of sports. Atlético Madrid has a saying: “Leap year, neither this nor that.” Let’s see if there will be another…