Athletic faces its first great challenge

The countdown begins for an Athletic that in the next four days a good part of its future is at stake in the current season. Today he has to pay a visit to the Camp Nou (9pm) with Xavi’s Barça going through their best moment of the season. On Wednesday he will have to go to Mestalla to fight with Valencia de Bordalás for a place in the Cup final. Two appointments against rivals with a very different style of play, but with their importance in order to endorse the European options for one and the other via.

First things first, in any case. Since Barça was eliminated in the KO tournament in San Mamés, the azulgrana have not known defeat. They defeated Alavés (0-1), Atlético de Madrid (4-2) and Valencia (1-4) and tied away with Espanyol (2-2) in the League and eliminated Napoli in the Europa League (1-1 and 2-4).

Marcelino justified this improvement in several proper names and in a very specific line: the offensive triplet formed by Aubameyang, Ferran and Adama plus the recovery of Demebélé and Pedri. The Asturian coach seems to have assimilated that today, under the arbitration of Cuadra Fernández with González González in the VAR, the lions will have to withdraw more than usual. Nothing strange considering that Barça is going through its best moment of the season and is full of morale.

The azulgrana have accumulated a total of eleven league games at the Camp Nou. His baggage is seven wins, two draws and as many tables. At the player level, he has accumulated 23 goals and has received thirteen.

aim for rotations

The doubt that hangs over Athletic lies in whether or not their coach will bet on a massive rotation from the outset or not, taking into account that Valencia awaits them on Wednesday on their way to the Cup final. The Asturian coach hinted yesterday that will try to dose minutes in order to present two competitive elevens in one and another scenario. To Barcelona, ​​from the outset, he travels with all the components of his squad except for the sanctioned Berenguer and the discarded Ezkieta.

The Camp Nou has been resisting the Bilbao team since November 24, 2001 when the team then coached by Heynckes beat Rexach’s team 1-2, also outnumbered, with red-and-white goals from Urzaiz and Ezquerro. The lions have since drawn three times and have lost 16.

Marcelino’s, despite everything, has already made it clear to this League that it is not a simple team when it comes to packing. Of the thirteen exits of him he has only fallen in two. The rest is divided into three wins and eight draws.