Three Thursdays ago, also in Seville, Athletic began to write one of the most brilliant pages of the last years of its centennial history. That January 14, Real Madrid was waiting for him at La Cartuja to fight for a place in the final of the Super Cup. The lions beat the whites and a few days later they toppled Barça in the decisive game for the title.
Marcelino's pupils return today to the capital of Seville. They do it to face another challenge of height in a different scenario and against a different rival. The focus of the competition, the Cup, now moves to Villamarin. There awaits the rojiblancos a Betis immersed in full winning streak and with the field factor in their favor.
From this life or death duel set for 9 pm, with arbitration by the Canarian Hernández Hernández, the fourth classified will come out for a cup semifinals that, in the manner and manner of last season, will already be played roundtrip. That, in any case, will be another story.
The one that today occupies and worries Athletic has much to do with the good moment that Pellegrini's team is going through. Betis accumulates eight games so far in 2021, between the League and the Cup, without knowing the defeat (1-1 Sevilla at home, 1-3 Mutilvera, Huesca 0-2, Sporting 0-2, Celta 2-1, Real 2-2 in Anoeta, Real 3-1 and Osasuna 1-0). It does not seem, therefore, that the Verdiblancos are going to give as many facilities this time as those they gave the lions on their last visit to San Mamés within the so-called tournament of regularity.
That November 23 of last year, those then led by Garitano endorsed a resounding 4-0 to the Betics. A reference that remains there, but it would not hurt to park and even overlook it. Betis is much stronger now than then. Athletic, nobody forget, too.
-Good luck-
The lions have also played eight games so far this new year. The first of 2021 and last of the stage of Gaizka Garitano they took it forward by the minimum against Elche (1-0). Marcelino assumed the leadership of the team that same January 3 and his journey on the Bilbao bench begins and ends, to date, with league losses against Barça (first in San Mamés and last Sunday at Camp Nou). The five intermission commitments, on the other hand, ended with victory, including the Super Cup title. Real Madrid, Barça itself, UD Ibiza, Getafe and Alcorcón were the victims of the rojiblancos.
Betis and Athletic, seen what has been seen, are going through a sweet moment. Pellegrini's teams have always been characterized by performing, or at least treating, a showy football. Canales has become one of its great references. The Cantabrian midfielder already made his sense of professionalism clear last week. He signed the equalizer against Real that equaled the clash and the eighth crossing itself and celebrated it without noticing his past txuri urdin. Maximum involvement.
Another footballer to consider is Borja Iglesias. The Galician forward has recovered the scoring nose that he demonstrated at Espanyol and that opened the doors to him at Villamarín after a disbursement of 28 million euros. Against Real, in the Cup, he scored both goals for his team in extra time and against Osasuna, in the last league match, that of victory. We will have to wait to see if he starts today or not in the starting eleven.
Marcelino, for his part, prefers to keep his assets hidden. Everything points today to the usual team of the League with Unai Simón even under sticks. The semifinal awaits.